James Trafford saved two late penalties from Sunderland’s Wilson Isidor as Burnley hung on for their eighth goalless draw of the season to go level on points with Championship leaders Leeds.
In a dramatic finish at Turf Moor, Isidor wasted two chances to win it from the spot, first in the 86th minute and then again seven minutes into stoppage time.
The first spot-kick would have been hugely controversial had it counted. Isidor went down under the attentions of CJ Egan-Riley as he raced into the box but contact, if any, appeared to come outside the box.
Trafford changed his gloves as he made Isidor wait and it worked, with the Frenchman going for power over placement and seeing the goalkeeper punch it to safety.
Then in stoppage-time, Burnley’s new signing Oliver Sonne, on as a late substitute, brought down Dennis Cirkin in the corner of the box and the drama was repeated.
Trafford lay down and waited for the physios to come on as players from both sides scrapped over the ball but, when Isidor finally did take aim Trafford, who saved a penalty that helped England win the European Under-21 Championships in 2023, got down low to his right and stop the ball again.
Burnley missed the chance to go two points clear of Leeds, who host Sheffield Wednesday on Sunday, but celebrated as though they had won anyway as they extended their undefeated league run to 14 games and recorded an 18th clean sheet of the season.
Sunderland fans will like what they saw of new loan signing Enzo Le Fee, involved in much of their best play, but they could not complete a double after inflicting one of Burnley’s only two league defeats back in August.
Much has been made of Burnley’s outstanding defensive statistics but they started the game seemingly determined to show they could play attacking football too as Jaidon Anthony and Lyle Foster got forward down both wings.
Foster had the first real chance when he dropped short to meet Anthony’s corner, though he could only find the side-netting as he tried to scoop it home, and then Anthony had the best chance of the game in open play when played in by Foster, but Anthony Patterson saved his powerful shot.
Early in the second half, Zian Flemming inexplicably fired wide on the volley before Sunderland began to push forward. Le Fee’s superb pass picked out Isidor but his drilled half-volley brushed the outside of the post.
Le Fee, who has joined on loan from Roma just six months after the Italian club paid north of £19million to sign him from Rennes, went close himself before the hour when his shot from range took a flick off Laurent before finding the side-netting.
The drama then all came at the end. Sunderland substitute Eliezer Mayenda played in Isidor but it was questionable as to whether there was any real contact as he went down to win the first spot-kick.
Mayenda then saw a shot deflected wide by Egan-Riley from point-blank range before the second spot-kick capped a remarkable final few minutes.
