Frazier Campbell scored a second-half equaliser, as Sunderland drew 1-1 with Middlesbrough in the FA Cup fourth round at the Stadium of Light.
Campbell netted on his first senior appearance for the club since August 2010 after recovering from two serious knee injuries, to cancel out Barry Robson's 16th minute opener.
The two sides will have to do it all again at the Riverside the week after next, with a draw a just result after a frenetic 90 minutes.
Sunderland, with a history of late goals under Martin O'Neill's managership, went close in the final stages but did not seriously threaten Boro substitute goalkeeper Connor Ripley, who came on for the injured Danny Coyne with ten minutes to go.
Sunderland started the game the brighter. Sebastian Larsson went close with a tenth minute header, then, three minutes later, Seb Hines headed a David Vaughan corner against team-mate Faris Haroun, with the ball just looping over Coyne's crossbar.
But Robson gave the Championship side the lead in emphatic style after 16 minutes. Marvin Emnes forced John O'Shea into a weak clearance, and the Scotland international slammed a left-foot volley into the bottom corner past Black Cats' goalkeeper Simon Mignolet.
Irish winger James McClean could have levelled twice within a matter of minutes for the Premier League side, first forcing a save from Coyne then heading Vaughan's cross straight at the grateful goalkeeper.
The home side then had a goal ruled out six minutes before the break when Craig Gardner controlled Kieran Richardson's cross and fired home off the foot of the far post. However, the match officials decided that Gardner had used a hand to get the ball under control.
Sunderland did level just before the hour, thanks to half-time substitute Campbell.
It came from a rapid counter-attack after Emnes had messed up a short corner, and Robson had attempted an underhit backpass. McClean was alive to the chance and squared the ball for Campbell to coolly finish.