Amr Zaki continued his remarkable Premier League scoring record by blasting his fourth goal of the season to rescue Wigan a point and share Titus Bramble's blushes at the JJB Stadium.
Bramble's calamitous 13th-minute own goal looked set to 'gift' the three points to Roy Keane's Sunderland, before the 25-year-old Egyptian struck with a low shot past Craig Gordon 12 minutes from time.
It was a rich reward not only for the impressive Zaki but for Steve Bruce's men, reduced to 10 in the 85th minute by Lee Cattermole's sending-off, who had applied almost constant pressure.
Kevin Kilbane, Emile Heskey, Maynor Figueroa, Olivier Kapo and Zaki himself all had chances but were denied by a mixture of misfortune in front of goal and fine last-ditch defending by the Black Cats.
It was quite some performance from Keane's new boys George McCartney and Anton Ferdinand to suppress the hottest goalscorers in the country - who had notched 11 goals in their last two games alone.
Despite a patchy start to the season, Keane will take heart from a hard-earned point - which could have been more if Djibril Cisse had converted two clear chances in front of goal.
Sunderland had started well, camping inside the Wigan box from the kick-off and gaining an early reward after Kieran Richardson's bright run down the left had ended in Chris Kirkland turning his low shot past the post.
Steed Malbranque's resulting corner was half-cleared back to the former Fulham man, who drilled the ball straight back towards the six-yard box - where Bramble, unchallenged, headed it into his own net.
Wigan found themselves with a fine chance to equalise in the 21st minute when the ball squirmed loose to Heskey on the edge of the Sunderland six-yard box, but the striker's shot was well blocked by Gordon.
Moments later, the home side came close again when Figueroa's lofted ball into the box was met by the dangerous Zaki in plenty of space - but his header sailed harmlessly wide of target.
Wigan forced another corner in the 27th minute, from which former Sunderland man Kilbane found Figueroa - whose low effort from the left side of the box was blocked by Ferdinand.
Kilbane himself came close on the half-hour when Valencia dragged back a cross from the left corner flag and the Irishman stooped to direct a shot inches past a stretching Gordon's left-hand post.
But the visitors survived the spell of pressure and almost went further ahead in the 37th minute when Cisse burst clear down the right and saw his low shot turned across the face of goal and out for a corner by Kirkland.
Wigan started the second half how they had finished the first - forcing two corners inside the opening three minutes, the second of which from Kilbane had to be punched away athletically by Gordon.
But the Latics were badly lacking that crucial final ball into the box, and Bruce responded by introducing playmaker Jason Koumas in the 56th minute in place of the busy Kilbane.
Koumas immediately began running at the visitors' defence - which continued to hold firm, with a sustained attack petering out when Mario Melchiot's cross caught Zaki offside in front of goal.
Sunderland almost extended their lead out of nothing in the 62nd minute when Malbranque's pass sent Cisse clear inside the Wigan box, but the striker's low shot was saved by Kirkland's stretching legs.
Wigan poured back with more pressure, Valencia's point-blank strike somehow blocked by McCartney, substitute Olivier Kapo bringing a fine save out of Gordon from long range and Zaki's header grazing the post.
Finally Sunderland's resistance was broken when Figueroa crossed from the left and Zaki was quickest to react, firing a fine left-foot shot into the corner of the net.
There was still time for plenty of drama, Cattermole seeing red and both sides refusing to settle for a point before referee Rob Styles eventually blew the whistle on a richly entertaining afternoon.
