Derby 1-1 Huddersfield Town: Terriers earn point at Derby despite Covid outbreak
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Naby Sarr's fifth league goal for the Terriers earned a point
Naby Sarr denied Derby an opening-day win as Covid-hit Huddersfield fought back to earn a point at Pride Park.
Huddersfield lost head coach Carlos Corberan and four players to positive Covid tests and fell behind when Curtis Davies bundled in from close range.
The Terriers were soon level as Sarr powered a header into the roof of the net from Sorba Thomas' cross.
Fraizer Campbell had a great chance for a late Huddersfield winner, but Kelle Roos saved with his legs.
A late scramble to bring in much-needed recruits, after an EFL transfer embargo was eased, saw the Rams announce the signing of Ravel Morrison just 35 minutes before kick-off, with Wayne Rooney including Friday signings Richard Stearman and Ryan Allsop in his first squad of the season.
In the opposing camp, Huddersfield handed Championship debuts to defenders Ollie Turton and Levi Colwill after losing Lee Nicholls, Harry Toffolo, Josh Ruffels and Lewis O'Brien to positive Covid results.
The Rams had to withstand some early pressure, but shrugged off their off-field troubles and grew into the game, with Tom Lawrence denied by Ryan Schofield when through one-on-one.
The game sparked into life approaching half-time, and after Sarr cancelled out Davies' second goal in 105 Derby appearances, Scott High almost put the Terriers ahead with a low drive which Roos turned round the post.
The visitors had the better of a quiet second half, but substitute Louie Sibley injected much-needed pace and intent for the Rams and almost won it in stoppage-time, Town keeper Ryan Schofield doing well to push his close-range shot past the post.
Derby boss Wayne Rooney told BBC Radio Derby:
"I thought it was a decent performance and a very good point because it's been a long pre-season.
"The young lads coming off the bench made a difference today and Sibley nearly won us the game. I'm delighted with the point.
"I've made it quite clear I want to sign all of those players that have been with me (on trial), but at the minute we can't because we've done the four players.
"With the uncertainty that Covid's brought with everything, I completely understand if they have offers they'll have to look at them, but I'll carry on working hard over the next few days to try to bring these players in, and more hopefully."
Huddersfield assistant coach Danny Schofield told BBC Radio Leeds:
"I thought the performance definitely merited the draw if not the win so I'm pretty satisfied for the first game of the season.
"Overall it was a very even game, we addressed a few things in the second half and identified where the space was which we wanted to attack and I thought we exploited that much better.
"Mentally we've been prepared for what Covid may bring so the players and staff are aware they have to deal with these situations. Going into the game the lads were psychologically prepared to face these challenges and did that very well."