Leeds keeper Illan Meslier humiliated by extraordinary 96th-minute howler

Leeds, Leeds are falling apart again… Daniel Farke’s side had the game won, a streetwise smash-and-grab on the road that would move them level on points with Sunderland at the top of the table and then disaster struck.
This was entirely self-inflicted; a preposterous act of self-harm as goalkeeper Illan Meslier’s injury-time howler gifted Sunderland an equaliser that had looked beyond them.
It was an awful moment for the French goalkeeper, a catastrophic, humiliating blunder. The sort that will be replayed for years to come. He will become a figure of fun. Sport is cruel like that.
“WHAT HAS HE DONE?!” 🤯A mistake from Meslier GIFTS Sunderland the equaliser! 🎁 pic.twitter.com/NSAQbTo3km
Leeds had done all the hard work. They had been put under intense pressure by Sunderland’s vibrant young side, but they had snuffed out the threat. This was a clinical performance that was about to secure three points that would take them joint top of the table. Leeds had fallen behind to Chris Rigg’s early goal but had come back to take the lead through Joel Piroe in the first half and Junior Firpo in the second.
Sunderland had grown frustrated. Their attack had been blunted and thousands of home supporters had already left the Stadium of Light as we moved in the seventh minute of stoppage time.
The home side won a free-kick on the halfway line. Goalkeeper Anthony Patterson ushered everyone forward and ran out of his area to launch it forward. The kick, though, was not a good one and there were initially some groans from the home support.
Alan Browne had been sent on late in the second half to replace Sunderland’s goalscorer Chris Rigg. He had pulled into space but Patterson’s punt forward lacked the required distance. Sunderland’s attacking players were still 30 yards from goal. Jobe Bellingham rose to try and head it forward and missed. Browne had not even expected the ball to come to him, seeing it late. He stuck out a foot, trying to prod it into a dangerous area. The touch was heavy, failing to find a team-mate. It looped into the area via a deflection off Firpo and, as far as everyone in the stadium was concerned, that was the attack over. Leeds were going to win.
There was no pace on the ball, no risk, no danger, all Meslier had to do was pick the ball up. It would not even have been classed as a save.
Even after watching countless replays, it is difficult to fathom what Meslier was trying to do or why he was trying to do it. It was the definition of a regulation catch and gather. He could have stopped and waited for the ball to come to him as there was not a Sunderland player close enough to get to it.
Instead, the Frenchman moved forward, looking to pick the ball up at the top of its bounce off the turf. There did not seem to be any extravagant bounce or change in direction, although his team-mates claimed afterwards there had been. Meslier’s legs were in a tangle, his arms were not in the right position and he appeared to trip as he went to catch the ball, moving beyond it. Did he take his eye off it at the last second? Possibly, but even that does not explain how much of a mess he made of it.
“The goalkeeper chucked it in the net, fair play,” Browne said on Sky Sports. That was not quite true – he did not even get a touch on it.
Meslier looked stunned, as you would expect. He initially tried to blame the pitch, gesticulating at the grass, throwing his arms out, repeatedly shaking his head as Sunderland supporters and players celebrated wildly around him.
In truth, Meslier did not know where to look; even the attempt to blame the bounce felt half-hearted. He knew what he had done. The cameras panned in close, the pain and embarrassment beamed into living rooms up and down the country. It was a complete and utter humiliation.
He could not look at any of his team-mates. Some were hiding their faces, lying flat on the grass. Others had turned away in disgust. It will have been a very awkward dressing room after the game.
“There is no explanation for it,” said Farke. “I’ve worked 30 years in football and have never lost points in a game like this before. The game was over, the ball was going to bounce into his hands or his arms, whatever and the whistle would be blown.
“It was going to be the perfect away performance and then this. We deserved all three points, we haven’t lost the game, but to lose the three points in this way is heartbreaking.
“He needs our support, our players said the ball bounced and completely changed direction. They have never seen anything like that. You don’t have to speak to him [Meslier] about it right now, you wait until the dust has settled.”
Poor Meslier is in good company here, as Telegraph Sport picks out its favourite goalkeeping howlers.
Signed on a short-term deal amid a goalkeeping crisis, Taibi’s spell at Manchester United was brief. His mistake in a 3-3 draw at Southampton will go down as one of the worst of its kind, allowing a Matt Le Tissier pea-roller through his legs to the disbelief of Old Trafford.
The definition of a clanger as Massimo Taibi’s #ManchesterUnited career ended before it started against Southampton in 1999 #MUFC #SaintsFC pic.twitter.com/NPs2FII5gS
Fabien Barthez punt upfield was headed back to Dudek by Jamie Carragher for what looked a routine take. But somehow the ball slipped through his grasp, allowing Diego Forlan to tap into an empty net for one of the easiest goals he would ever score. Manchester United went on to defeat their bitter rivals 2-1 at Anfield on their way to another title.
On this day in 2002 Diego Forlan signed for Manchester United Remember his two goals at Anfield and that Jerzy Dudek mistake? pic.twitter.com/BQeOPqaVxf
The Brazilian goalkeeper’s howler echoed Meslier’s as he allowed a tame-looking cross into the box to spill from his grasp and into the net in Fulham’s 2-1 win over Tottenham.
Virgil van Dijk looked away in disappointment as his looping effort into the danger zone looked to be heading over in the dying seconds of the Merseyside derby. To Jordan Pickford’s horror, though, the Everton keeper misjudged it, the ball hit the bar instead and Divock Origi was on hand to tuck home. Jurgen Klopp could not believe it, charging onto the pitch to celebrate an unlikely winner.
#OnThisDay last year… Unbelievable scenes from Divock Origi with THAT late derby winner 😍 pic.twitter.com/Y6a5ZW7X1T
One of the biggest embarrassments of all time – not something you want to happen to you in a Second City Derby. Enckleman had nobody around him and all the time in the world as he attempted to control Olof Mellberg’s throw-in. But he somehow allowed the ball to escape from under his foot and he watched in agony as it trickled in. Enckleman’s Villa lost 3-0 while the goalkeeper was also taunted by a Birmingham fan, who was jailed for four months after entering the pitch to goad him after the error.
Before the game Regis Le Bris said that he “knows Meslier’s weaknesses” but when asked about whether he was expecting this he had only words of condolence for his former player at Lorient, and said he will soon pick himself up.
🗣️ “Everyone can make a mistake on the pitch, he’s still a very good goalkeeper”Sunderland manager Régis Le Bris on Leeds goalkeeper Illan Meslier. pic.twitter.com/Zz2vvZadJI
Alan Browne, ‘scorer’ of Sunderland’s second goal, has understandably found the whole thing quite amusing. “The keeper’s chucked it in his net so fair play to him – great assist [by me].”Then, when pressed on whether it was his goal: “I’m almost embarrassed, but I’m still claiming it” 
“The keeper chucked it in the net so fair play to him”Alan Browne and Chris Rigg react to a dramatic end to Sunderland vs Leeds 🎙️ pic.twitter.com/kXpbfLV8rO
Speaking on Sky, former Sunderland striker Kevin Phillips says, referring to the swathes of Sunderland fans who started flooding out of the ground from the 85th minute: “I think the lesson there is don’t leave the ground early. You think you’ve seen everything and then this happens. It looks like he might be pointing at the ground, like the ball’s hit a divot, but I think he’s just taken his eye off it and it’s a bad mistake. I just feel terrible for him.” 
You have to feel for Meslier. Sunderland offered absolutely nothing in that second half and were out of puff, ideas and seemingly time until that shocking moment at the death. It was in the seventh minute of added time and Meslier must have been thinking about what he was going to have for dinner already. He’ll have lost his appetite now. Instead of joining Sunderland at the top of the Championship, Leeds trudge home with a point that takes them up to third for the time being, but thinking about what might have been.
“WHAT HAS HE DONE?!” 🤯A mistake from Meslier GIFTS Sunderland the equaliser! 🎁 pic.twitter.com/NSAQbTo3km
GOAL! OMG! That’s a howler to beat all howlers by Meslier. An innoccuous ball is mishit forward by Browne and it should be gathered easily by the French keeper. But somehow he allows the ball to skid through his hands and into the goal. That is quite literally a goal out of nothing.
Sub: Bogle goes into the book for kicking Mundle. 
 
Sub: Sam Byram comes on for Gnonto, who is serenaded off the field by the away fans.
Sub: Leeds bringing on Schmidt for Ramazani. 
Sunderland are trying to push forward and create something but in the second half they have lacked the ingenuity to break Leeds down. Without Roberts and Rigg on the field, and with Bellingham no longer making an impact, it’s hard to see where the inspiration will come from.
Firpo was down for at least two minutes there. More time to add on. And indeed six minutes will be added on to give Sunderland the chance to salvage something.
And now Firpo is down after catching a hip in the face on a corner. He’ll be in no rush to get up – unlike large sections of the home supporters who have decided to take their leave.
Sub: Tommy Watson comes on for Sunderland to take the place of Roberts, who had a brilliant first hour or so but has since faded, much like his team in general.
Leeds are trying to take the sting out of the game are largely succeeding in doing so since Meslier went down with that knock to the head. They are keeping possession neatly, and inviting more niggly fouls, which only serves to tick the clock down much to the frustration of the home crowd.
Sub: Leeds’ first goalscorer Joel Piroe makes way for Mateo Joseph.
Sub: Alan Browne is on to replace Chris Rigg for Sunderland.
Meslier is down and receiving the attention of the medics after getting a knee to the head from his own player Struijk. In fairness to the defender, he was pushed by a Sunderland forward and couldn’t evade his team-mate. Struijk also has Rodon to thank for cutting out another Sunderland attack. The Welshman has been a warrior at the back with his last-ditch defending. On that occasion Mundle had played Roberts in but Rodon was in the right place at the right time.
The game is becoming peppered with niggly fouls and this time it’s Firpo who gets booked, for a foul on Roberts, who was too quick and tricky for him over by the right touchline. Needless really from the goalscorer.
Chris Rigg goes into the book this time. Again it’s Gnonto drawing the foul, this time on the opposite flank 
Dan Neil goes into the book for preventing Gnonto from getting away on a counter-attack.
A very strong start to the half from Sunderland who were swarming all over Leeds but then a moment of naivety that you get with a young side. Four players were drawn to the ball in the middle of the pitch as Leeds enjoyed a rare attack, leaving Firpo in loads of space as he galloped up from right back. 
Leeds were clinical, Firpo playing a one-two with Gnonto and then rolling a shot into the bottom corner. A really soft goal for Sunderland to concede, but streetwise football from the visitors who had drawn Sunderland on to them and then pounced.
Brilliant from Junior Firpo! 👏 pic.twitter.com/U7DzIuiQbY
GOAL! Junior Firpo gives Leeds the lead against the run of play. A free-kick is played short by Meslier and Leeds play the ball through the lines. Firpo pickes it up in midfield and m,arauds forward, playing composed one-two with Gbonto before firing a low angled shot across Anthony Patterson.
There’s a half-chance for Sunderland, who send a corner to the far post which is headed back across goal and half-cleared by Leeds. It falls to Dan Neil but he’s at full stretch as he tries to cut across the ball and sends it wide.
Leeds do get forward but squander two chances as first Bogle and then Gnonto telegraph their shots, which are both blocked, instead of trying to pick out a team-mate in an admittedly crowded area.
The players are back out again and let’s hope for a similarly pulsating second half.Roberts has looked superb with his defence-spltting passes and Bellingham brilliant at finding pockets of space in midfield as Sunderland.
Leeds, meanwhile, came at Sunderland like a typhoon for a wild 15 minutes before blowing themselves out after around 35 minutes. But they have goal threat, with Piroe and Gnonto looking decidedly dangerous when Leeds manage to get forward.
And Bellingham has picked up a silly yellow card for needlessly bodychecking Piroe straight from kick-off. He joins Rodon in the referee’s book.
Most of the noise had been coming from the Leeds fans as Daniel Farke’s side gained control of the game, but they have lost their way in the last few minutes or so and it is Sunderland’s supporters making all the noise now.
 It’s a delicately balanced contest but Sunderland’s fans need keep encouraging their players. There were a few too many moans and groans creeping in but they have given them a warm ovation at the half-time whistle. Either side could go on and win this.
The whistle blows after a breathless first 45 minutes of fantastic end-to-end football. Just before Sunderland’s last first-half onslaught, they were denied by some rugged use of the dark arts by Joe Roden. In other words, Wilson Isidor was crudely taken out when he was about to break Leeds’ defensive line. But Pascal Struijk spared him a red card by getting back to ‘cover’, meaning there was no obvious denial of a goalscoring opportunity. 
You have to wonder whether Isodor wouldn’t have put the afterburners on to race through on goal there, though.
Jobe Bellingham is now getting into some dangerous positions and twice comes close to restoring the hosts’ lead. A shot from the edge of the area is deflected wide with Meslier caught flat-footed, and in their next attack he side-foots a wonderful attempt narrowly wide of the far post. That missed by inches. In an engorssing match of ebbs and flows, now it seems Sunderland are seizing the initiative.
This is turning into a fascinating tussle between two giants of the Championship. Sunderland were playing some beautiful football at the start of the game and looked like they could score with every attack.
They did just that through Chris Rigg at the end of a lovely move down the right flank, but Leeds have wrestled back control of the game in the middle of the pitch. 
If anything they look physically stronger than their hosts and have forced mistakes. Sunderland have coughed up possession far too easily and paid for it when Wilfried Gnonto’s wonderful cross was headed in by Joel Piroe. VAR may well have intervened and ruled it out for offside in the Premier League but we do not have that technology here.
Leeds have been the better team since and should have scored a second goal, but they also look like they have problems in defence which is offering some encouragement to the home fans at least.
Leeds have had nine shots to Sunderland’s two, the last of which was a tame effort by Roberts that dribbled straight at Meslier. Bellingham is trying gamely to get his side back into the game but he is being man-marked by three players and so struggling to exert influence.
It’s been a strange turn of events as from being totally dominated Leeds are now dictating play.The visitors should be well ahead by now but have lacked the necessary sang-froid in front of goal.
Leeds were hardly carrying a threat to Sunderland before the goal but now they have had three chances in as many minutes.Junior Firpo had a clear sight at goal following a goalmouth melee which saw Tanaka and Piroe miscue their shots, and just as Firpo was about to pull the trigger Brenden Aaronson got in his way to scuff a poor shot wide.
In their next attack Gnonto worked his way into a shooting position but blazed over from 20 yards.
The natives are getting restless.
Moments after missing a chance from close range Joel Piroe levels for Leeds. An attempted clearance falls to Wilfried Gnonto, whose inviting cross from the right wing is headed home by Piroe for his fourth goal of the season.
Piroe levels for Leeds! ⚖️ pic.twitter.com/vvkFwgz7vk
Sunderland have the bit between their teeth and Mundle decides chance his arm from the left edge of the area. He scored a goal like this recently but on this occasion he doesn’t start the curling effort wide enough and Meslier can make a comfortable save.
GOAL. Chris Rigg finishes off a brilliant team move. Around five players bamboozle Leeds with a rapid, first-time passing move down the right, and after Dennis Cerkin’s shot is superbly saved by Illian Meslier, at his near post, Rigg is on hand to tap in from close range. The Stadium of Light is a cacophony of noise.
“It’s that young man again with another memorable moment!” 🌟Chris Rigg lifts the roof off the Stadium of Light! 🔊 pic.twitter.com/7iBNNouSmV
That’s a great chance for Bellingham. Patrick Roberts plays an inviting pass from the right across to the 19-year-old who has time and space to set his sights and shoot from 16 yards out, but he leans back and fires a foot over the bar.
And we’re off. 
Leeds make a positive start with Ramazani almost getting a shot off in the opening minute, before having the ball spirited away.
Most of the fans have taken their seats at the Stadium of Light where there is a mood of expectation, optimism and nervousness. The atmosphere is being ramped up by a light show set to dramatic, classical music. Sounds like Tchaikovsky to me.
Now the teams walkout to the raucous refrain of Republica’s ‘Ready to go’. And I think everybody is.
And now the whole crowd is singing along to Elvis Presley’s ‘Can’t Help Falling in Love’ as is tradition around these parts.
Regis Le Bris says his side know what to expect from Leeds but is confident in his own charges’ ability after such a roaring start to the season.
“They are good with the ball, my players know their qualities, but it is a matter of matching their strengths with our own – it should be interesting.
“The core of the team is strong at the minute, this dynamic is good, which is why we can keep this starting XI for now.”
Le Bris has made an impressive start to management on Wearside, but arguably what’s more impressive is the way he has already incorporated ‘“at the minute” into his lexicon. 
The long-term absences of Ethan Ampadu and Ilia Gruev will be big misses for Leeds. The former provides a screen for the defence and Iliev conducts play, so Joe Rothwell, who is more of a box-to-box midfielder, and Ao Tanaka will need to step up against Sunderland.
“It’s a massive opportunity,” says Rothwell after being grabbed by a reporter at the ground. “It’s not nice to get in at some else’s expense but now it’s up to me to stake my claim and keep that shirt.
“It’s a massive game, after a tough game in midweek, They’re unbeaten at home and they’ve not conceded here either but it’s a test we’re thoroughly looking forward to.”
🚌 #LUFC arrive in Sunderland! pic.twitter.com/FQOEfdrdYP
Regis Le Bris has made a wonderful start to life in England, having arrived from Lorient as a little-known coach.He likes a 4-2-3-1 or a 4-3-3 formation in possession and a 4-4-2 off the ball.
Le Bris’ Sunderland like to force teams in possession wide before pressing them to win the ball back and hitting opponents on transition.
In possession they like to play out from the back, but they are more direct than they were last season, moving the ball through the lines quickly, with Chris Rigg orchestrating play, and Mundle providing the cutting edge up front.
And here are the line-ups:
Sunderland are unchanged, while Leeds make two changes with Joe Rothwell coming in for the injured Ilia Gruev, who has damaged his meniscus, and Joel Piroe replacing Mateo Joseph. 
RLB’s XI to take on Leeds United! 📋#SUNLEE pic.twitter.com/egxYcsc8bp
📋 Your #LUFC Starting XI… pic.twitter.com/8g4glRJlQg
Good evening and welcome to our live coverage of Sunderland against Leeds United in the Championship. This promises to be an intriguing encounter between two sides who have started the season well. 
Sunderland’s six wins have propelled them to the top of the table, a point clear of Burnley, and although it’s still early days Mackems fans must be dreaming about a first return to the promised land in nine seasons.
The Black Cats’ only two league defeats have both come in the last three matches but they are strong at the Stadium of Light, where they have so far won all four matches without conceding a goal. They are also the Championship’s top scorers with 16 goals.
As well as the precocious Chris Rigg, who is among Sunderland’s best players at the tender age of 17, and Romaine Mundle, 21, the club’s top scorer with three, another star performer so far this campaign has been Jobe Bellingham, Jude’s little brother. Bellingham joined from Birmingham City last year and in fact scored in a 1-0 win in this fixture last December.
Jobe’s header was the difference last time we met Leeds on Wearside ⏪ pic.twitter.com/JnDIAZw9sB
The 19-year-old has really come into his own this season, helping Regis Lebris to get his managerial career in England off to a flying start. Like his Champions League-winning sibling Bellingham can play in a variety of roles, but Lebris has benefited from playing him in the No 8 position.
“I like him as an eight because as an offensive midfielder he can express his power, his ability to run, his ability to press, his ability to make the link between defence and attack,” said Lebris last month. “He is very linked with our left triangle with Dennis [Cirkin] and Romaine [Mundle], so I think that could be his position. For me, his best position is as an offensive midfielder on the left side.” 
If he manages to find consistency perhaps he too will be courted by a German club, earn international recognition and have his own behind-the-scenes documentary on YouTube.
A win for Leeds will lift them level on points with Sunderland at the top of the table and Daniel Farke’s side will fancy their chances of getting a result against the early pacesetters. The Whites have lost only once in the league so far – to Burnley – and are looking to stretch their unbeaten sequence to four matches.
Joel Piroe is among the danger men for the visitors, the Dutchman having hit three goals this season, while Italy international Wilfried Gnonto, USA midfielder Brenden Aaronson and Belgian winger Largie Ramazani have each scored twice.
The Yorkshire side, who have big plans to develop their Elland Road ground, are strong contenders to return to the top flight they departed the season before last, and they would rather do it by finishing in the top two. Their loss to Southampton at Wembley in May was their sixth play-off final defeat out of six.
In their last match Sunderland beat Derby County 2-0, while Leeds earned a creditable draw at Farke’s former side Norwich City, courtesy of this Ramazani equaliser.
🎯 “Ramazani with the equaliser!” pic.twitter.com/ZAeVj9bX0B
 
Team news to follow…