The Sunderland keeper who powered a point-saving header for the Black Cats
Talk about iconic! This stunner will live long in SAFC memories.
It's one of those moments which Sunderland fans will always remember.
Get in! The keeper scores a beauty
On this day in 2003, the Black Cats were trailing away at Derby County. Defeat was moments away.
The clock had already gone past 90 minutes when Sunderland got a corner and the goalkeeper Mart Poom came up to join the attack.
The ball landed perfectly on his head and he powered it into the Derby net to earn the Wearsiders a point.
An ironic twist of fate
An ironic twist of fate surrounded the incident and it was explained in a Sunderland Echo report in 2018.
The story said: “Derby had sold the Estonian goalkeeper to Sunderland the previous season for £2million to help ease financial troubles - but no one expected what happened on his return to Pride Park.
In a tight game, the home fans thought the points were theirs when Poom was beaten by an 89th goal from Ian Taylor, scrambling in from Simo Valakari’s corner.
But it was the Sunderland fans who ended the game on a high when the keeper headed home an injury-time equaliser.
‘A huge leap to power a header past opposite number Andy Oakes’
Time was almost up when the visitors won a corner. Poom raced forward.
Sean Thornton’s set-piece went towards the far post where Poom, unchallenged, made a huge leap to power a header past opposite number Andy Oakes.
The goal hero briefly raised his arms in celebration before turning and running the length of the field to get back to his own goal.
“I will remember this for the rest of my life,” he said afterwards. “It was a special occasion coming back, but to score a goal is unbelievable.”
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