Bottom-of-the-table Plymouth Argyle stunned promotion-chasing Sunderland by scoring a 90th minute equaliser to draw 2-2 in front of a 41,000 crowd at the Stadium of Light.

The goal came from an unlikely source as Nathanael Ogbeta, on as a substitute, fired home superbly from inside the Sunderland box. It was the culmination of a see-saw second half during which Argyle had opened the scoring only for Sunderland, unbeaten at home all season, to hit back to take the lead.

Miron Muslic’s Pilgrims went ahead in the 58th minute when the ball just about crossed the line with the aid of a deflection off goalkeeper Anthony Patterson after a scuffed cut back by Ryan Hardie..

READ MORE: Miron Muslic calls Plymouth Argyle draw at Sunderland 'a step forward'

READ MORE: Sunderland 2 Plymouth Argyle 2 Recap: Greens score 90th minute equaliser

Sunderland were 2-1 up by the 73rd minute, though, after goals from Wilson Isidor and Trai Hume, and Argyle seemed set for a third successive defeat and a 12th loss out of 15 away league games this season. However, late pressure from the Pilgrims paid off as Ogbeta crashed home and, on the balance of the play in the second half and the chances they created, a draw was what they deserved.

Conor Hazard was recalled as Argyle’s goalkeeper against Sunderland as one of five changes from the 5-0 midweek mauling by Burnley, with Dan Grimshaw dropping down to the bench.

Also coming into the side were Jordan Houghton, Callum Wright, Mustapha Bundu and Matty Sorinola, with the quartet of Darko Gyabi, Rami Al Hajj, Michael Baidoo and Ogbeta all named as substitutes.

Bali Mumba played against the club where he began his career while striker Muhamed Tijani returned to Argyle duty for the first time since the end of September after being ruled out for four months by a hamstring injury.

Argyle had Julio Pleguezuelo, Victor Palsson and Tymoyeusz Puchacz as their central defensive trio, with Sorinola and Mumba as the wing-backs.

Houghton and captain Adam Randell were in central midfield, with Bundu and Wright in the two number 10 positions behind Hardie, who had scored for the Pilgrims on their previous visit to the Stadium of Light in a 3-1 defeat in February 2024.

Sunderland’s Chris Mepham had a good shooting opportunity from a free-kick 25 yards out after a foul on Dan Neil by Randell but the ball hit the Argyle defensive wall and rebounded away for a corner.

To no-one’s surprise, Sunderland dominated the early possession and Le Fee had a low cross-shot saved by Hazard after he had broken clear behind Sorinola down the right for the Black Cats. Argyle’s first goal attempt came when a poor clearance from Patterson went straight to Randell, whose shot from outside the penalty area was saved.

It was pretty much a 5-4-1 formation for the Pilgrims as they tried to limit the chances of the hosts but when they did get forward it was often through Sorinola as the right wing-back.

Argyle conceded a free kick in a dangerous position not far outside their box after a challenge by Bundu on Dennis Cirkin but the cross was a poor one and the visitors were able to clear their lines.

Le Fee was a constant attacking threat for Sunderland and after another break into the box he cut the ball back towards Dan Neil but the midfielder could not get on the end of it.

Plegeuzuelo was later booked for a foul on Le Fee, a 24-year-old on loan from Italian Serie A side Roma, close to the touchline as he tried to make another surge forward. Hazard then made a terrific save diving away to his right to keep out a fierce 25-yard shot from Neil after Palsson headed out a long ball into the box which was aimed for Isidor, the Black Cat’s out and out striker.

The Argyle ‘keeper made another good stop when Cirkin had a close range strike after a deep cross from the Sunderland right by Hume.

There was time for one more chance for the Black Cats before the break when an attempted cross from Le Fee went out for a corner off Sorinola. When the ball was swung into the penalty area Hazard failed to get to deal with it and Wright almost conceded an own goal as he put the ball narrowly wide of the far post.

Into the second half and Sunderland continued to take the game to Argyle, with Palsson doing well to cut out an attempted through ball for Isidor inside the penalty area and putting it out for a throw-in.

Patrick Roberts shot into the side netting from a very tight angle before Houghton made a superb tackle on Cirkin as he was about to shoot from inside the Pilgrims’ box as the Black Cats came under more pressure.

However, Argyle then had an excellent chance to open the scoring when Bundu whipped in a cross from the right and an unmarked Hardie sent a glancing header wide of the far post from six yards out.

Sunderland had the next chance as a free-kick from Roberts was flicked towards goal by Mepham and Hazard got down low to his left to stop it but the loose ball was cleared.

Argyle then stunned the large home crowd inside the Stadium of Light by taking the lead in the 58th minute when Hardie sent the ball across the face of goal and it hit Patterson and crept over the line.

Referee Oliver Langford pointed to the watch on his wrist to indicate the decision had been made by goal-line technology. However, the Pilgrims’ lead did not last long as Isidor finished off a cross from Hume on the right in the 61st minute.

Baidoo was sent on for Hardie soon afterwards in Argyle’s substitution which meant Bundu was moved into the lone striker role, with Baidoo and Wright behind him.

Wright almost restored the Pilgrims’ lead in the 70th minute when he got in behind the Sunderland defence and his low angled drive was touched onto the inside of the left post by Patterson and rolled across the face of goal before it was cleared.

The match then swung in Sunderland’s favour when they took the lead in the 73rd minute as a free-kick into the Argyle box broke to Hume and he placed an accurate shot into the net.

Muslic made a quadruple substitution soon afterwards with Ogbeta, Gyabi, Tijani and Al Hajj sent on for Pleguezuelo, Houghton, Bundu and Wright.

Argyle pushed for an equaliser as Gyabi sent a header not far wide when Puchacz hit a free-kick into the Sunderland box. Soon afterwards, Randell went close when he flicked on another delivery from Puchacz and the ball went agonisingly past the outside of the far post.

However, the Pilgrims did draw level in the 90th minute when Gyabi helped the ball on to Ogbeta and he fired his shot high into the net for his first goal for the club.

It was enough to earn them a hard-earned point and while Argyle are really in need of wins to have any hope of escaping relegation this was a performance and result which will lift their spirits.

ARGYLE: Conor Hazard; Julio Pleguezuelo (Nathanael Ogbeta 77 mins), Victor Palsson, Tymoteusz Puchacz; Matty Sorinola, Adam Randell, Jordan Houghton (Darko Gyabi 77 mins), Bali Mumba; Mustapha Bundu (Muhamed Tijani 77 mins), Callum Wright (Rami Al Hajj 77 mins); Ryan Hardie (Michael Baidoo 65 mins).

Substitutes (not used): Dan Grimshaw, Ibrahim Cissoko, Caleb Roberts, Freddie Issaka.

SUNDERLAND: Anthony Patterson; Trai Hume, Chris Mepham, Luke O’Nien, Dennis Cirkin (Dan Ballard 76 mins); Dan Neil, Salis Abdul Samed (Eliezer Mayenda 61 mins); Patrick Roberts (Chris Rigg 76 mins), Jobe Bellingham, Enzo Le Fee; Wilson Isidor (Leo Hjelde 87 mins).

Substitutes (not used): Simon Moore, Adil Aouchiche, Milan Aleksic, Ian Poveda, Harrison Jones.

REFEREE: Oliver Langford

ATTENDANCE: 41,097

You can read more of our Argyle stories from Plymouth Live by clicking HERE