Niall Quinn, Jason McAteer, Kev Kilbane & Tommy Butler's Premiership fate will be decided on the last day of the season after they were hit with a late equaliser at The Valley.
The Black Cats looked to be heading for a vital win until Charlton substitute Kevin Lisbie struck a spectacular overhead kick in the 82nd minute. The match opened up when Charlton went in front after 65 seconds, through frontman Jason Euell. Again defensive errors in what is becoming a normal lapse in concentration by Sunderland in the early stages away from home.
But goals from Kevin Kilbane and Kevin Phillips, who ended his 11-game goal drought, put the Wearsiders in the driving seat very early on in the first half. The game was on a knife edge until Charlton Lisbie sealed the point for each team
McAteer played in the middle of midfield in place of suspended duo Gavin McCann and Claudio Reyna.
As reported on this web page's news, 25/04/02, Tommy Butler was handed his first start and he was instrumental in a bright start by the Black Cats
The goal, Sunderland's first in 345 minutes of football, had an Irish brand stamped on it as the pass came from Republic of Ireland Under-21 midfielder Butler. McAteer was again the provider, this time from a free kick, and Phillips timed his run to perfection to send a header past the Charlton keeper, his first strike for 11 games.
Sunderland, however, could not afford to relax and only a wonder save from Thomas Sorensen stopped Jonatan Johansson grabbing an equaliser in the 14th minute, although Euell looked to be offside.
It was an all-action opening and Sorensen was again forced to produce a good save, this time in the 21st minute, when John Robinson showed good skill to flick the ball over Jody Craddock before shooting from 12 yards.
Charlton nearly shot themselves in the foot in the 26th minute when Dean Kiely picked up Paul Konchesky's back-pass after a good move involving Butler, McAteer, Quinn and Kilbane. Sunderland should have gone two ahead just before the break from the best move of the half. Phillips' touch from Butler's ball sent McAteer clear, and his cross found Quinn unmarked at the back post but he headed wide.
Bjorklund was in the right place to block Mark Kinsella's shot as Charlton exerted some early pressure in the the second half.
Quinn, who has not scored in his last 11 appearances, missed a great chance in the 65th minute, volleying wide McAteer's good pass after good work by Phillips. Sunderland now need to gain something from their game with relegated Derby County in two weeks, although even a win may not guarantee top-flight survival. Final Score 2-2
Elsewhere Mattie Holland played one on one against country teammate, Roy Keane. But Holland and the Tractor boys will also have to wait until the very end to decide their premiership fate.
A contraversial Van Nistelroy penalty gave ManU a vital win at portland road, putting even more pressure on the Gunners, who play Bolton on Monday. Their last game is against Liverpool on the final day of the season. And the Tractor boys can only survive with a win against Liverpool, and they also need the Black Cats to loose agains Derby at home, again on the last day of the season.
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