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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Sport
Simon Bird & Ricky Charlesworth

QPR goalkeeper channels inner Alisson with last-minute equaliser at Sunderland

Queens Park Rangers goalkeeper Semy Dieng scored a sensational stoppage-time goal to earn his side a point away at Sunderland.

The 27-year-old headed home in the 92nd minute after going up for a corner and his shock strike secured a 2-2 Championship draw for Rangers at the Stadium of Light. It sparked amazing scenes in the away end on Wearside and sealed a memorable point for Mick Beale's side despite them trailing 2-0 with 87 minutes on the clock.

The Swiss-born Senegalese headed home a cross from man-of-the-match Ilias Chair deep in injury time. Chair hauled the Londoners back into the game with an 87th minute free-kick. Dieng celebrated in front of the travelling support - and amazingly it is not the first time he has struck in injury time.

The journeyman keeper was playing for National League South outfit Whitehawk when he netted in the 91st minute against Chippenham Town back in 2017.

This time he went up for a corner and, when the ball was cleared to Chair, he rose unmarked to flick a deft header home. It was a devastating blow to Sunderland, who had led 2-0 thanks to goals from Ross Stewart and Ellis Simms in the first half, and were top of the league when they were winning.

But QPR roared back into life in the second half, with Chair and Tyler Roberts breaking well and forcing Sunderland into retreat.

Despite Sunderland having a golden chance to snatch the win late on, Dieng produced a fine save down the other end to preserve the point and Elliot Embleton hit the underside of the bar.

Dieng follows in the footsteps of just a handful of custodians to celebrate a goal in English football. The most high-profile in recent years was when Liverpool's Brazilian stopper Alisson netted in a game against West Brom back in May 2021. Elsewhere in the Championship on Saturday, Hull City moved to the top of the embryonic standings with an eye-catching win at home to promotion favourites Norwich.

Oscar Estupinan's double rendered a goal by Marcelino Nunez meaningless as the Tigers sealed a 2-1 win despite registering just 30 per cent of the ball. Norwich are joint-bottom of the table, as one of four sides with just a single point on the board.

Last season's beaten play-off finalists Huddersfield registered their first points of the new season with a hard-fought 3-1 win at home to Stoke City.

The Potters saw a first-half Lewis Baker penalty botched before a header from Japanese defender Yuta Nakayama put the Terriers in front.

Baker made amends by restoring parity after the restart but late strikes from Danny Ward and Jordan Rhodes added gloss for Danny Schofield as he sealed his first win as boss.

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