Sunderland 1-1 Portsmouth: Draw no good for either side in race for promotion
Saturday 27 April 2019 19:09, UK
Sunderland and Portsmouth played out a feisty 1-1 draw that did little for either side's hopes of gaining automatic promotion from Sky Bet League One.
Tom Flanagan's opener for the hosts was cancelled out by Jamal Lowe's strike in front of 41,129 at the Stadium of Light.
Pompey's goal was followed by a five-minute stoppage after an away fan threw a smoke bomb into the Sunderland crowd below, and at full-time a melee involving several players broke out.
Lewis Morgan's overhead kick was tipped onto the post by Craig MacGillivray before Flanagan headed in Aiden McGeady's free-kick at the back post after nine minutes.
Pompey hit back midway through the first half as Lowe tapped in after Lee Brown headed against the crossbar and Ronan Curtis had a goal disallowed after Sunderland goalkeeper Jon McLaughlin went down under pressure at a corner.
MacGillivray produced a tremendous stop to deny Charlie Wyke at point-blank range in first-half stoppage time.
Chances were few and far between after the break but MacGillivray produced another top save to deny Max Power.
Sub Will Grigg then turned a cross against the post with five minutes remaining as the home side finished strongly.
