RabiuDan Ballard sees red for hair-pull as Sunderland draw with Wolves
Sunderland had Dan Ballard sent off for hair pulling as their hopes of European football next season were dented by a 1-1 draw at already-relegated Wolves.
Ballard was given his marching orders in the 24th minute by referee Paul Tierney after a check with VAR determined the Sunderland centre-back had tugged at the long braids of Wolves forward Tolu Arokodare.
The Black Cats were leading at the time through Nordi Mukiele’s 17th-minute header but being forced to play for over an hour with 10 men helped Wolves, rock-bottom of the Premier League, gain a foothold.
Wolves ended three matches without a goal as Santiago Bueno headed home after 54 minutes and while both sides had chances to bag a winner, it finished all square and Sunderland remained 12th in the table.
The big talking point will inevitably be Ballard’s dismissal following his aerial duel with Arokodare and to rub salt into the wound, a likely three-match ban prematurely ends the defender’s season.
It is the second time this has happened to Arokodare this season after Everton’s Michael Keane was red-carded for pulling at the Nigerian’s hair during a 1-1 draw in January.
Arokodare had the best opportunity to bag a winner but missed the target as Rob Edwards’ side were booed off at full-time as they missed the chance to move off the bottom of the standings.
Wolves made the better start as Hugo Bueno threatened down the left although the Spaniard’s final ball left a lot to be desired before the home side’s defensive flaws were brutally exposed after 17 minutes.
After Brian Brobbey had been denied by Toti Gomes, the resulting inswinging corner from Sunderland captain Granit Xhaka saw Mukiele rise above the static Pedro Lima for a simple set-piece goal.
The visitors looked to move up a gear but were dealt a blow when Ballard saw red following a lengthy check with VAR, with even Wolves fans deriding the decision with chants of ‘it’s not football anymore.’
Wolves should have capitalised on the extra man after half an hour when Andre hooked back into a crowded box but Omar Alderete’s last-gasp interception stopped Yerson Mosquera from toe-poking home.
Sunderland continued to be pushed back for the rest of the half but Wolves were found sorely wanting in the final third, failing to put any pressure on Robin Roefs as they were booed off at the interval.
Adam Armstrong was lively after the resumption although his close-range effort was blocked by Trai Hume while the former Newcastle frontman saw a long distance shot easily saved by Roefs.
Wolves’ persistence paid off when Santiago Bueno headed in Hugo Bueno’s corner at the back post, having got ahead of three defenders, and the goal stood despite Sunderland protests of a foul in the scramble.
It was Wolves’ first goal since mid-March and they could have had another but Arokodare could not connect with Mateus Mane’s teasing ball into the box, with Hume perhaps doing enough to distract him.
Mane took on shooting duties himself and produced a smart save from Roefs but Sunderland opened up more after conceding and Xhaka rifled past Dan Bentley’s post with the Wolves goalkeeper at full stretch.
Sunderland’s appeals for a penalty fell on deaf ears after Mane appeared to handle in the area, while at the other end a ball over the top was cushioned by Armstrong into the path of Arokodare, who could only knee over the bar in added time.
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