Sunderland Striker Vows Comeback After Penalty Nightmare at Burnley

BURNLEY, England — Sunderland striker Wilson Isidor described his performance in Friday night’s goalless draw against Burnley as “the worst day of my life” after missing two penalties in the final 10 minutes of the match. The 24-year-old forward, who is Sunderland’s leading scorer this season with eight Championship goals, took to social media to apologize to fans and teammates.

“Feel like a big slap in the face, and the worst day of my life because all of us know how I love this club,” Isidor posted on X. “I would like to apologize to my teammates, every single fan, and all the people of this club for what happened. I feel really ashamed, but I promise you that I will come back stronger from this!”

Isidor, who joined Sunderland from Zenit St. Petersburg last summer, also thanked fans for their messages of support. The missed penalties came during a crucial match against Burnley, a fellow promotion contender in the Championship.

Burnley goalkeeper James Trafford was the hero of the night, saving both of Isidor’s spot-kicks. The 22-year-old has been a standout performer this season, conceding just eight goals in 26 appearances and helping Burnley maintain the best defensive record in English football.

Burnley head coach Scott Parker praised Trafford’s development, calling him a goalkeeper with “absolutely humongous potential.” Parker highlighted Trafford’s resilience after a challenging debut season in the Premier League last year, where he conceded 61 goals in 28 games.

“When I first came in, there were some struggles, and he came off the back of a difficult season,” Parker said. “But this is a special goalkeeper. He has absolutely huge potential. He is confident, he believes in himself, and you need that to get to the top level.”

Trafford acknowledged the steep learning curve he faced in the Premier League, where the average goalkeeper age is 28 or 29. “Last year, I was nine years off the average,” he told BBC Radio Lancashire. “It shows it is a massive experience-based role for a goalkeeper. But I improved massively, and I’m aware of that.”

Burnley’s defensive solidity has been a key factor in their promotion push, with only nine goals conceded in 27 Championship matches. Meanwhile, Sunderland will look to bounce back from the disappointment when they return to action on Tuesday.