Late Manchester United equaliser denies Sunderland youngsters at the Stadium of Light

A late goal from Manchester United teenager Largie Ramazani denied Sunderland Under-23s all three points at the Stadium of Light.
Benji Kimpioka opened the scoring for Sunderland Under-23s at the Stadium of Light.Benji Kimpioka opened the scoring for Sunderland Under-23s at the Stadium of Light.
Benji Kimpioka opened the scoring for Sunderland Under-23s at the Stadium of Light.

Elliott Dickman's side led the young Red Devils for most of the night after Benji Kimpioka opened the scoring in the 35th minute.

Yet Ramazani's equaliser nine minutes from time levelled proceedings on Wearside, as both sides registered a point in Premier League 2, Division 2.

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Sunderland remain bottom of the table with just three games to go, but once again showed significant improvements compared to earlier in the season.

As they have done in previous weeks, Sunderland started the game in a 4-4-1-1 formation, with Bali Mumba playing just behind Kimpioka up top.

Behind them Denver Hume, who featured for the first team before suffering a knee injury earlier in the campaign, started in a more advanced role on the left of midfield.

But it was Kimpioka, 19, who received the first chance of the game as Sunderland started on the front foot, however the Swedish striker dragged his effort wide in the seventh minute.

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That was about as eventful as it got in the opening half an hour, as game entered a prolonged lull amid heavy rain.

The visitors should have broke the deadlock on 34 minutes when Ramazani’s inviting cross was headed over by Nishan Burkart from close range.

Sunderland made their opponents pay for that chance a minute later when Kimpioka opened the scoring with a neat finish.

The goal stemmed from the lively Jack Diamond, who produced a probing run on the right before cutting the ball back to Kimpioka in the centre.

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With the ball at his feet, the Swedish striker turned quickly before firing his effort low into the bottom corner.

The early stages of the second half were similar to the first, with both sides content to keep possession for long spells.

United threatened again in the 63rd minute when Ramazani broke away on the counter attack, before passing to Josh Buliui.

Sunderland defender Jordan Hunter was on hand to cover though and stood his ground to make the block.

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As the half wore on gaps inevitably began to appear, with Diamond shooting straight at United keeper Alex Fojticek from inside the area, before Burkart flashed an effort wide at the other end.

Diamond came close again in the 71st minute when his curling shot appeared to be heading for the top corner, before Fojticek palmed it away.

It was United who finished the stronger though, and the visitors equalised when Ramazani stabbed home Burkart’s cut back with the goal at his mercy.

1-1 it finished.

Sunderland XI: Stryjek, Hunter, Young (Evans, 70), Bainbridge, Taylor, Hume, Mumba, Neil, Diamond, Connolly, Kimpioka.

Subs not used: Storey, Evans, Slack, Leonard.

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Manchester United XI: Fojticek, Tanner (Olosunde, 66), O’Connor (C), Erculani, Bernard, Levitt, Burkart, Galbraith, Buliui, Traoue, Ramazani.

Subs not used: Woolston, Warren, McGee.

Referee: Mr Jonny Urwin

Goals: Kimpioka 35, Ramazani, 81