Highlights
Match report
Undefeated in their opening three games for the first time since the inaugural PL season, Palace came into the game as favourites, but on the evidence of the first half, there was very little to separate these sides.
It was Sunderland who saw more of the ball in the opening stages, with much of the play taking place in the middle third of the pitch, resulting in a cautious and cagey contest.
It wasn’t until the 36th minute that a genuine chance of note arrived thanks to Daichi Kamada’s sweeping first-time ball, but with just the goalkeeper to beat, Yeremy Pino couldn’t guide his side-footed effort on target. Each of the Black Cats’ five PL goals this season had come in the second period, and with the game goalless heading into HT, they would need to strike after the break again if they were to claim maximum points.
Having seen no shots on target before the interval, the Selhurst Park faithful were up off their seats within minutes of the restart, with Jean-Philippe Mateta forcing a save from Robin Roefs with a toe poke from a low cross before Pino fired a deflected follow-up over.
There was certainly more life to the contest, with the onus perhaps on the home side as they came close twice more through a bouncing Kamada strike and an instinctive Mateta reaction to a deflected cross.
With the game edging towards the FT whistle, Palace were firmly on top and pushing for a winner, but Roefs remained unbeatable, ultimately earning his side a precious point. Victory would have seen Sunderland become just the third promoted side in PL history to win three of their opening four encounters, but a creditable point away at Palace will go down well with the travelling support.
As for the Eagles, they have now lost just one of their last 17 PL games against newly-promoted sides (W10, D6), keeping a clean sheet that marks just their third home shutout in 16 league outings.
Flashscore Man of the Match: Robin Roefs (Sunderland)