Burnley goalkeeper James Trafford was really playing mind games with Sunderland striker Wilson Isidor on Friday night. The Frenchman stepped up to take two penalties and Trafford saved them both.
Wilson Isidor is certainly a talking point among Sunderland fans after the Black Cats’ 0-0 draw against Burnley on Friday night.
It was a good overall performance and many might say the Black Cats deserved a win. And a win they almost had with Isidor missing two penalties on the night, along with one really good chance soon after the break.
Isidor left the pitch in tears as players from Burnley and Sunderland consoled him. Meanwhile, Burnley goalkeeper James Trafford scooped the Man of the Match award for keeping out Isidor’s two penalties.
The draw keeps Burnley in 2nd place and Sunderland in 4th place of the Championship table, with the gap to leaders Leeds United now down to one point. The Whites face Sheffield Wednesday on Sunday.
Regis Le Bris’ verdict on James Trafford after Wilson Isidor penalty misses
For both of Isidor’s penalties, Trafford was time wasting. For the first he took his gloves off and took a while to put them back on, then for the second he went down with a supposed hamstring injury.
Speaking to Sky Sports after the game, Sunderland boss Regis Le Bris was asked to give his verdict on Trafford’s antics, and the Frenchman was surprisingly quite impressed by the England U21 man’s tactics.
Le Bris said: “It’s smart, I think, because it’s a way to break the rhythm, and probably you can introduce a doubt. I should say it’s smart, because at the end of the day it worked for them.”
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What did Regis Le Bris say about Wilson Isidor after Burnley vs Sunderland?
It’s clear that Isidor still has the support of his players. They were all quick to pick him up off the ground after full-time, then to console him as he was visibly upset with what happened.
Then speaking to Sunderland Echo after the game, Le Bris gave his thoughts on Isidor’s penalty misses. He said: “You can make mistakes but you have to learn from them. It’s the best way to improve and grow. The team is still young and learning from experiences, this will be a big one for sure. I am sure he can put this behind him, 100%.
“You have to do it when you are a player with his talent and ambition. You have to deal with difficult experiences. The keeper made two good saves, they weren’t poor penalties.”
Isidor remains Sunderland’s top scorer in the Championship this season with eight goals in 24 league appearances so far. The Black Cats return to action against Derby County on Tuesday and Isidor will be desperate to make things right with a goal and a win.