Steve Bruce hit out at Lee Cattermole and David Meyler after the two players saw red at Fratton Park.
Sunderland boss angered by two points thrown away on South Coast
Sunderland manager Steve Bruce hit out at Lee Cattermole and David Meyler after the two players saw red before his side fell to a late 1-1 draw at Portsmouth.
Darren Bent handed the Black Cats the lead from the penalty spot after Ricardo Rocha was dismissed for the home side.
And Sunderland looked set for a first win in 12 league games only for a second yellow for Cattermole and a straight red for substitute Meyler to turn the game in Pompey's favour.
Aruna Dindane grabbed the late leveller for Portsmouth and, after the final whistle, Bruce was a defeated man.
He said: "(Shattered) is an understatement.
"I think that is now four times we have gone where we are leading with less than a minute to go and got pegged back.
"We needed to be a bit more professional and not do anything stupid. We did do that and it gave Portsmouth impetus."
Of the dismissals, he said: "The two of them, for me, are stupid. I can't defend them. In the end it has cost us the match."
Bruce also concluded that midfielder Steed Malbranque suffered a worrying chest injury, with the Frenchman on his way to hospital.
