Hull snatch point with late Oscar Estupinan penalty

Oscar Estupinan’s last-minute penalty earned Hull a 1-1 draw at home to Bristol City.

Substitute Fally Mayulu‘s 84th-minute strike put the visitors on course for what would have been a deserved victory.

The Robins debutant, a summer signing from Rapid Vienna, cashed in on an awful blunder from Matty Jacob before planting the ball into the left corner.

But Hull had the final word as Keith Stroud adjudged Joe Williams to have fouled Marvin Mehlem and Estupinan made no mistake with a precise spot-kick.

Bristol City were the better side but Tim Walter’s Tigers began purposefully, with Regan Slater forcing Max O’Leary into a smart save at his near post.

The hosts came even closer to scoring after 11 minutes when Abdulkadir Omur’s low free-kick from the left caused confusion inside Bristol City’s box. The resulting skirmish saw Jacob’s half-volley expertly parried to safety by O’Leary.

Bristol City’s goalkeeper showed even greater dexterity moments later when Ryan Giles’ perfect cross found Estupinan inside the six-yard box.

Estupinan should have scored but his stabbed effort from a central position was beaten away by O’Leary, who impressively stood his ground.

But the visitors grew into the game – most noticeably when signing Sinclair Armstrong was given the ball as his sheer physicality at times threatened to overwhelm Hull’s backline.

Bristol City’s cause was also aided by the occasional defensive gaffe, one of which nearly gifted Anis Mehmeti a goal approaching half-time.

Mehmeti wriggled his way into a good position on the left-hand corner of the six-yard box, but Ivor Pandur reacted well to snuff out the danger.

Liam Manning’s side kept up the revs after the interval and came close to scoring after 50 minutes when careless defending allowed Mehmeti a clean sight on goal from a central position. The Albania international’s strike was goalbound but Jacob did well to deflect the shot onto the crossbar.

Man-of-the-match Mehmeti was a continual nuisance and crafted another decent chance when his cross caught Jacob in a bad position facing his own goal.

The Hull defender’s header could have gone anywhere, but the ball luckily floated just wide.

Despite their clear faults, Walter will, however, take optimism from new signing Liam Millar’s impact from off the substitutes’ bench.

Millar brought Hull back into the game and created a good chance when his skidding cross from the left evaded Estupinan by a stud’s length.

Any hope of a late Hull rally seemed to have evaporated once Mayulu struck, but Estupinan’s penalty ensured a share of the spoils.