📈 Sunderland star breaks decade-long curse with equaliser at Ipswich

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Hannah Pinnock·22 August 2026

📈 Sunderland star breaks decade-long curse with equaliser at Ipswich

Sunderland needed a moment of magic in their Premier League opener against Ipswich Town, and Nilson Angulo delivered exactly that.

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Approaching half-time at Portman Road, the Black Cats were trailing the newly promoted side after an opening goal from Emersonn.

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However, a little over five minutes before the break, Angulo ended a decade-long Sunderland curse to put them back on level terms.

To put it simply - he scored a direct free-kick. Bizarrely, the first time Sunderland have done so in a Premier League fixture in over 10 years.

Patrick van Aanholt, in a match against Everton back in May 2016, was the previous player to do so.

Nilson Angulo scores Sunderland's first Premier League goal from a direct free-kick in over 10 years. Patrick van Aanholt (vs Everton) in May 2016 was the previous player to do so for the Black Cats.
– Saturday, 22 August 2026

Nilson Angulo levels for Sunderland and in some style. A whipped free kick that dipped just under the bar to beat Ipswich goalkeeper Kjell Scherpen. What a way to get your side back in the game 💫 🔗 https://t.co/rmaMfGe29a
– Saturday, 22 August 2026

Talk about getting back on level terms in style!

📸 Richard Pelham - 2026 Getty Images

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📈 Sunderland star breaks decade-long curse with equaliser at Ipswich

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📈 Sunderland star breaks decade-long curse with equaliser at Ipswich | OneFootball

📈 Sunderland star breaks decade-long curse with equaliser at Ipswich

OneFootball Videos

Sunderland

Ipswich Town

Premier League

Nilson Angulo

Patrick van Aanholt

MORE STORIES