Burnley’s quest for a first league triumph since February was thwarted at Turf Moor when Derby County’s Mohammed Fuseini struck a dramatic equaliser in stoppage time, leaving the hosts to settle for a 1-1 draw in the Championship. The Ghanaian winger, who arrived on loan from Belgian side Union Saint‑Gilloise on the final day of the transfer window, unleashed an angled shot from the edge of the box that curled past the far post, marking his inaugural goal for Derby. The early breakthrough appeared to belong to Burnley when Switzerland forward Zeki Amdouni headed home from a Lucas Pires corner in the 34th minute. The ball looped in off the far post after goalkeeper Josh Vickers failed to keep hold of the delivery, giving the visitors a much‑needed lead and seemingly easing the pressure on newly appointed manager Nicky Hayen.

Hayen, who took charge only in July, has already faced scrutiny over his tenure, and the win would have provided a welcome boost. However, Fuseini’s late leveller ensured Burnley stayed at the foot of the table, still without three points from a match Hayen had labeled a "must‑win" before kickoff. The manager had made six alterations to his lineup in an attempt to revive a side that had suffered defeat at Swansea the previous weekend.

Notably, he dropped goalkeeper Max Weiss and former Manchester City defender Kyle Walker, while recalling winger Marcus Edwards, who had been omitted from Burnley’s 25‑man EFL squad earlier in the month. Derby, also entrenched in the bottom three and hampered by a lengthy injury list, generated the opening chances just after the fifteen‑minute mark. Midfielder David Ozoh unleashed a long‑range effort that was deflected wide, and a subsequent corner taken by Joe Ward saw defender Dion Sanderson rise to meet the ball at the far post, only to flick it back across the goalmouth.

Shortly thereafter, Amdouni’s header gave Burnley the lead, but Derby threatened to equalise before the break when former Blackburn striker Sammie Szmodics sprinted onto a lofted pass from Ward. Szmodics collided with defender Gregoire Coudert, and with the keeper down, Ryan Hedges’ follow‑up was blocked by Igor Julio. The ball eventually fell to Carlton Morris, whose attempt was cleared by Anel Ahmedhodzic from inside the six‑yard box.

The second half began with Ozoh launching a powerful angled shot from the left, which Coudert saved at his near post. Hedges then produced a good chance from twelve yards, but Burnley’s defence, bolstered by a long throw, managed to keep the ball out of the net.

Burnley started to apply sustained pressure in search of a second goal. Substitute Largie Ramazani found space but was denied by a well‑timed block from Sanderson after Jacob Bruun Larsen combined with Pires to set up the chance.

In the final quarter of the hour, Coudert produced a low, reflexive save to tip away a 20‑yard strike from Bobby Clark. Yet Derby’s persistence paid off when Rhian Brewster delivered a cross that found Fuseini, who calmly slotted the ball home to restore parity.

The goal not only salvaged a point for Derby but also cemented Burnley’s winless streak and kept them rooted to the bottom of the Championship. After the match, Hayen was asked about his prospects when Burnley resume league action after the three‑week international break, facing Watford on October 10. He responded candidly: "I don’t know.

I really hope I’m still in charge because I work hard for this club and want to repay the fans for their patience. I understand their disappointment and the blame they place on me, and I accept it." Hayen reiterated that he had described the Derby encounter as a must‑win, yet admitted he could not predict the ramifications of the dropped points: "I don’t know. You have to ask that question to other people, but I talk to them a lot as well.

We always review the game, get feedback, and have an honest conversation. I know the fans are disappointed. We’ve had a terrible start and this isn’t what I expected.

But I’m resilient, I’m a fighter. Tomorrow I’ll come back with fresh positive energy.

That’s how I work, and that’s the energy I want to bring to the players and the club." Derby manager John Eustace praised his side’s defensive discipline for most of the match, conceding only the soft goal. He highlighted Ozoh’s lapse, noting that development involves learning from such moments. Eustace also commented on the set‑piece aspect of the game, acknowledging its decisive influence.

Regarding Fuseini’s celebration, he joked: "I saw in his highlights that he does a cartwheel when he scores. I told him he won’t be doing it again, but when I asked, he said yes. So maybe we’ll see a few more cartwheels in the future." Both clubs now look ahead to their next fixtures with the awareness that every point is vital in a relegation battle.

Burnley must find a way to convert the chances they create into goals if they hope to climb out of the bottom spot, while Derby will aim to build on the resilience shown to turn draws into victories as the season progresses.