Cardiff v Sunderland

Cardiff 2

Mutch 6′ Campbell 58′

Sunderland 2

Fletcher 83′ Colback 90′

FT 90 +7
HT 1-0

By Emlyn Begley BBC Sport

Sunderland scored two late goals to rescue a Premier League point against Cardiff City in the first match since the Bluebirds sacked Malky Mackay.

The hosts dominated and were in control after Jordon Mutch's shot was deflected in off Modibo Diakite and Fraizer Campbell fired home from 12 yards out.

But substitute Steven Fletcher set up a tense finale from close range.

And in the last minute of injury time, Jack Colback's shot deflected off Steven Caulker and into the net.

Cardiff are now two points above the relegation zone and stay four ahead of Sunderland, who remain bottom of the table.

All the talk coming into the game was about Cardiff owner Vincent Tan's controversial dismissal of manager Mackay.

Tan had told Mackay, who led Cardiff to the Championship title in the summer, to resign or be sacked but appeared to back down, with the Scot being told he would be in charge for the "foreseeable future".

But that foreseeable future lasted just five days and Mackay lost his job after a 3-0 defeat by Southampton on Boxing Day.

Assistant boss David Kerslake and first-team coach Joe McBride were put in temporary charge for the Sunderland game, with Molde boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer thought to be Cardiff's first choice as manager.

But if the events of the previous fortnight were having any impact on the players, it certainly did not show early on.

With fans chanting mostly in favour of Mackay rather than against Tan, Cardiff dominated the first 30 minutes.

Steven Caulker and Mutch missed with headers before their sixth-minute opener. Campbell won the ball off Valentin Roberge and fed Mutch, whose shot from the edge of the box was deflected home by Diakite.

After Lee Cattermole had Sunderland's first shot deflected wide by one of his team-mates, Cardiff continued their dominance and Caulker headed at Vito Mannone, who then did well to keep out Peter Whittingham's low free-kick from an angle.

Sunderland had a major boost in their relegation battle with a shock 1-0 win over Everton on Boxing Day and, entirely against the run of play, they almost had another crucial goal.

Ki Sung-Yueng forced a save from David Marshall and Jozy Altidore failed to turn the ball in from a yard out at the far post.

That started a flurry of Sunderland chances and Fabio Borini forced two excellent fingertip saves from Marshall at the end of the first half before being replaced by Fletcher at the break because of illness.

After a quiet opening to the second half, the game looked sealed when Mutch took on three players and passed it to former Sunderland striker Campbell, whose first-time shot beat Mannone.

Sunderland, who had earlier gone close through Lee Cattermole, had late hope when Fletcher stretched to convert Emanuele Giaccherini's cross.

They pressed for an unlikely looking equaliser after Colback, Fletcher, Valentino Roberge and Giaccherini all squandered chances.

But in the fifth minute of injury time it finally arrived when Colback's deflected effort bamboozled Marshall.

For a gallery of images from Saturday's Premier League games go to the BBC Sport Facebook page.

Lineup, Bookings (5) & Substitutions (6)

Cardiff City

01 Marshall
28 Théophile-Catherine
42 John
18 Mutch Booked
04 Caulker
06 Turner
16 Noone (Cowie - 72' )
08 Medel
10 Campbell Booked (Cornelius - 82' )
13 Kim Booked (Gunnarsson - 79' )
07 Whittingham

Substitutes

05 Hudson
09 Cornelius
11 Odemwingie
17 Gunnarsson
19 Cowie
23 Maynard
32 Lewis

Sunderland

25 Mannone
02 Bardsley Booked
03 Dossena
33 Cattermole Booked (Colback - 74' )
21 Diakité
29 Roberge
23 Giaccherini
07 Larsson (Gardner - 74' )
17 Altidore
04 Ki
31 Borini (Fletcher - 45' )

Substitutes

06 Cabral
08 Gardner
09 Fletcher
12 Celustka
13 Pickford
14 Colback
22 Ba

Ref: Chris Foy

Att: 27,247

Match Stats

Shots

16 21

On target

7 9

Corners

6 6

Fouls

14 10

Live Text Commentary

Full time

Full Time Match ends, Cardiff City 2, Sunderland 2.

90:00 +6:04 Full time

Full Time Second Half ends, Cardiff City 2, Sunderland 2.

90:00 +4:48 Goal scored

Goal! Goal! Cardiff City 2, Sunderland 2. Jack Colback (Sunderland) left footed shot from the centre of the box to the top left corner. Assisted by Valentin Roberge.

90:00 +4:28

Steven Fletcher (Sunderland) wins a free kick in the attacking half.

90:00 +4:28

Foul by Aron Gunnarsson (Cardiff City).

90:00 +3:46

Attempt missed. Emanuele Giaccherini (Sunderland) right footed shot from outside the box misses to the right.

90:00 +3:42

Attempt blocked. Phillip Bardsley (Sunderland) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Jozy Altidore.

90:00 +0:50

Corner, Sunderland. Conceded by David Marshall.

90:00 +0:49

Attempt saved. Valentin Roberge (Sunderland) left footed shot from the right side of the box is saved in the bottom right corner.