Robin Roefs heroics earn Sunderland deserved point at Crystal Palace

First the positive news for Crystal Palace. Oliver Glasner’s side are now 15 matches unbeaten in a run that stretches back to their 5-0 thrashing by Newcastle in mid-April.

But having endured a dramatic end to the transfer window that saw chair Steve Parish pull the plug on captain Marc Guéhi’s move to Liverpool, Glasner will have been hoping for more. While Guéhi was barely troubled as he eased back into his role on the left side of Palace’s three-man defence with the minimum of fuss, a spirited Sunderland deservedly left with a point after thriving in their role as spoilers.

Régis Le Bris had clearly done his homework as his side frustrated Palace and Robin Roefs was outstanding in goal for the visitors, who picked up their first point of the new campaign on the road and look a decent bet for survival on this evidence. For Glasner, it was a disappointing result that will be tempered by encouraging performances for new signings Yeremy Pino and Christantus Uche, who both came close to making themselves instant heroes but couldn’t find a way past Roefs.

Survival used to be the limit to the ambitions in south London but no longer under Glasner. Eighteen months into the Austrian’s tenure, Palace’s players know their roles so well that even the departure of Eberechi Eze to Arsenal has not halted their momentum from last season’s FA Cup triumph. The absence of Wembley heroes Adam Wharton and Ismaïla Sarr due to injuries they picked up in the win against Aston Villa before the international break meant a reshuffle in midfield, with Pino handed his first start. The Spain international has big boots to fill if he is to replace Eze and showed some impressive touches, although he will still be wondering how he didn’t score.

Le Bris had recognised the challenge facing Sunderland after losing their opening away match of the campaign against Burnley, although his team arrived in south London full of confidence thanks to their two victories to start the season at home. A quick free-kick after Daniel Muñoz was shown an early yellow card caught Palace’s defence napping but Noah Sadiki shot wide.

The visitors’ midfield, anchored by the evergreen Granit Xhaka, gave Palace no space as the home supporters became increasingly frustrated with the referee Thomas Bramall. When they did find a way through courtesy of Daichi Kamada’s superb pass, Pino could only put his shot wide with the goal gaping. It needed a well-timed block at the other end from Tyrick Mitchell to keep out Chemsdine Talbi’s effort at the back post after he was picked out by Simon Adingra.

It wasn’t much of a spectacle but a delightful shimmy from Pino that left Xhaka for dead at the start of the second half got the crowd out of their seats. Suddenly Palace smelled blood and the playmaker was presented with his second golden chance of the afternoon when Roefs pushed Jean-Philippe Mateta’s volley from a Mitchell cross straight into his path. But Pino couldn’t believe his luck when his effort was deflected over by the impressive Omar Alderete, a Paraguay international who was signed from Spanish side Getafe in the summer and barely put a foot wrong all afternoon.

A heavy downpour of rain made conditions difficult and Wilson Isidor – one of the few remaining faces from the team that won the playoffs a few months ago – was almost able to take advantage when Palace failed to clear a long throw, only for the Frenchman to volley wide. Palace seemed to be feeling the effects of their heavy schedule so far this season as they struggled to create another opportunity to snatch the victory until Kamada forced Roefs into a full-stretch save at his near post.

Mateta saw the Dutchman somehow keep out his volley from Muñoz’s cross with his head. Nigeria forward Uche almost won it two minutes from time after coming off the bench, with Roefs then producing an even better stop to keep out Kamada’s follow-up.