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Sunderland celebrate Eliezer Mayenda’s winner - Getty Images/Marc Atkins
Sunderland’s Wilson Isidor finishes into the far corner - PA/Nick Potts
Coventry City’s Jack Rudoni sends a header back into the danger area - PA/Nick Potts
James Maddison watches on - Getty Images/Catherine Ivill
Coventry City head coach Frank Lampard - PA/Nick Potts
Sunderland’s Jobe Bellingham - PA/Bradley Collyer
Coventry Blunder Gifts Sunderland Lead In Championship Play-off First Leg
A cool finish from Eliezer Mayenda gave Sunderland a vital lead heading into the second leg - Getty Images/Catherine Ivill
Sunderland gained the crucial advantage after Milan van Ewijk gifted Eliezer Mayenda the winner in the first leg at a boisterous CBS Arena.
Van Ewijk presented Mayenda with a one-on-one chance with goalkeeper Ben Wilson which the striker took with glee.
This came after Jack Rudoni, the Coventry City star player, equalised just two minutes after Wilson Isidor’s 68th minute opening goal.
Mayenda’s goal continued a theme of a valiantly fought but ultimately scrappy first leg with quality thin on the ground.
Sunderland goalkeeper Anthony Patterson was outstanding after collecting cross after cross on an evening of few chances.
10:28 PM BST
Lampard speaking post-match
Pushed and pushed, dominated possession of the ball and unfortunate to be one behind going into the second leg.
It is a compliment to how we played six or seven weeks ago. I understand it as a coach, you want to negate the spaces for us.
I could not say much more to the players. Credit to them, they defended the box well. I don’t think it will be the same game in the second leg,
10:24 PM BST
Regis Le Bris on Sunderland’s end-of-season form
We showed today that we were in our plan. We were fresh, we were connected with our players available and we knew it would be tough because Coventry are good. The second leg will be tight, just halfway.
We did so well to secure fourth place but at the same time automatic promotion was like a dream. At that moment, players are players. If you don’t have to chase something... even if I can tell them the story ‘try to win, try to win, try to win’ inside you don’t feel it and are not switched on.
10:15 PM BST
Sunderland’s Luke O’Nien speaking
That was some atmosphere, these are the games you want to play in. We talked about it all week what we wanted to do, and to do it is superb, could not be prouder of the lads.
Crazily we still very much believed, I know a lot of people probably don’t believe that from the outside. You can tell a lot from the team when you don’t win a lot of games. The relationship in the team stayed.
09:58 PM BST
Man of the match Dan Ballard speaking
I think there was a lot of defending to do today. We were kept busy and of course, I love it.
09:55 PM BST
FT: Coventry 1 Sunderland 2
There was a touch of smash and grab about the victory but Sunderland fans will not care; they have overturned the form book having lost their final five games of the regulation season. It is a tough one to take for Coventry who controlled the game for long periods and delivered dozens of crosses into the Sunderland box, only to be caught out on a counter-attack and by an individual error. It is not tie over by any means, but one hell of an atmosphere will await Lampard’s team at the Stadium of Light.
Sunderland celebrate Eliezer Mayenda’s winner - Getty Images/Marc Atkins09:52 PM BST
94 minutes: Coventry 1 Sunderland 2
Sunderland standing firm: Thomas sees a shot blocked and then Jamie Allen tries and acrobatic scissors volley from the edge of the box which he cannot keep down. Dan Ballard has been a brick wall at the back for Sunderland.
09:50 PM BST
92 minutes: Coventry 1 Sunderland 2
Sunderland threaten a third, with Mayenda tireless again in the channels. With no support, he takes on the shot from a tight angle with power and the ball bounces off Wilson behind for corner. La Fee’s corner is one of the worst you will see, it flies about 20 feet over the players’ heads. Mayenda’s race is run: Alan Browne replaces him.
09:49 PM BST
91 minutes: Coventry 1 Sunderland 2
That was a crucial challenge from Jobe Bellingham in his penalty area. Mason-Clark looked poised to turn and shoot on the six-yard line, but Bellingham rode to the rescue to extend his left leg and nick the ball away from the striker. Outstanding defending.
09:47 PM BST
90 minutes: Coventry 1 Sunderland 2
Coventry searching for another quick equaliser but Patterson claims another delivery. After an early error, the Sunderland goalkeeper has been solid.
Six minutes of added time to play.
09:46 PM BST
GOOOALLL! Mayenda punishes Van Ewijk’s error
What a horrible moment for the Coventry right-back. He tried to guide the ball back to his goalkeeper Wilson but undercooked the pass, and Mayenda has the burst to pounce on the loose ball. The Sunderland striker then showed impressive composure to round Wilson and finish into the empty net with his left foot.
Milan van Ewijk plays a blind pass straight into Sunderland's path! ???? pic.twitter.com/hI1CPXwae7
— Sky Sports Football (@SkyFootball) May 9, 2025
09:42 PM BST
84 minutes: Coventry 1 Sunderland 1
Another change from Lampard: Jamie Allen takes the armband from Ben Sheaf. Coventry are asking all of the questions, Sunderland defending their penalty area as they have been for much of the game.
Brilliant piece of skill from Sakamoto, he has La Fee on touch, and from a tight angle the goalkeeper sticks out a leg to turn his goal-bound header behind. The referee blows for a foul from the resulting corner.
09:39 PM BST
81 minutes: Coventry 1 Sunderland 1
Coventry’s right flank looking dangerous again. Ben Sheaf with a raking diagonal pass out to Sakamoto, and the right-back Van Ewijk had made a run inside to clear the space for the winger to be one-on-one. He tries another curling inswinger, but Patterson does enough again. Ballard goes down with cramp.
09:36 PM BST
79 minutes: Coventry 1 Sunderland 1
There was a short stoppage in play for the Sunderland goalkeeper to receive treatment. Sunderland have made their first sub: Rigg on for the goalscorer Isidor. Roberts then cuts inside onto his left foot but he curled his shot well wide of the post.
09:33 PM BST
75 minutes: Coventry 1 Sunderland 1
Coventry are buoyant now and are putting this Sunderland defence under sever pressure. Pinball in the Sunderland box from another corner but they hook the ball clear eventually. Patterson does well to claim a high ball, and takes a whack for his trouble.
09:30 PM BST
72 minutes: Coventry 1 Sunderland 1
James Maddison celebrated that Coventry goal from the stands and the game has come to life now. Coventry fans will also be pleased to see Mason-Clark return to action after injury. He has replaced Thomas-Asante up front.
09:29 PM BST
GOOOALLL! Rudoni with the instant response
Sunderland make a mess of clearing their lines, and Coventry’s right-back Van Ewijk stood up a cute chipped cross into the six-yard box for the man of the moment Rudoni to plant a header home. Coventry level 110 seconds after conceding.
67' - Sunderland take the lead! ⚽
— Sky Sports Football (@SkyFootball) May 9, 2025
69' - Coventry hit back with an equaliser ????
WHAT A RESPONSE!! ???? pic.twitter.com/bmCFRu9ysO
09:27 PM BST
GOOOOALLL! Isidor puts Sunderland in front
Coventry were pushing numbers forward but they have been sucker-punched on the break. When another attack broke down at the edge of the box, Neil poked the ball forward into La Fee who was in acres of space. He carried the ball forward and played a lovely through ball to Isidor in the left channel, and he opened his body up to find the far corner. Wilson got a hand to it but could not keep the shot out. Should he have saved it?
Sunderland’s Wilson Isidor finishes into the far corner - PA/Nick Potts09:25 PM BST
67 minutes: Coventry 0 Sunderland 0
Sakaomoto dances his way inside again but his floaty cross to the back post is headed clear. Just not quite enough conviction in the final pass, cross or shot so far from Coventry.
09:22 PM BST
65 minutes: Coventry 0 Sunderland 0
What a good chance for Bellingham and Sunderland! They put the ball into the mixer and the ball ran free for Jobe Bellingham to shoot at goal, but his strike hit a Sunderland shirt when it was heading on target. That was their best opening.
09:20 PM BST
63 minutes: Coventry 0 Sunderland 0
Half a chance for snap shot from Rudoni at the edge of the box, but the Sunderland defenders raced to close him down and his deflected effort dribbled behind. Another Coventry corner, but the delivery was dreadful and cleared at the near post.
Dan Ballard pounces on the loose ball and tries to drive into space with the ball. He is tackled by Kitching, who is penalised for a foul and shown a yellow card. The home crowd not happy but he nudged the Sunderland defender in the back.
09:17 PM BST
60 minutes: Coventry 0 Sunderland 0
The game has another full-back on a booking: Coventry’s right-back Van Ewijk shown a yellow card for a late challenge on La Fee. After the free-kick is delivered into the box and cleared, Sunderland’s captain Dan Neil drops into a makeshift centre-back position to mop up well.
09:15 PM BST
57 minutes: Coventry 0 Sunderland 0
That was better from Sunderland but Hume volleyed over the bar after they worked a short corner to the other side of the pitch before reversing the ball to the back post. If Sunderland strike first, it would be a bit of a killer for Coventry after enjoying so much of the play.
09:12 PM BST
54 minutes: Coventry 0 Sunderland 0
The corner is cleared and with the ball bouncing up at winger Sakamoto he tries a very difficult volley which he slices horribly. Surely would have been better off taking a touch and recycling possession there. Mayenda’s touch at the other end is heavy. Sunderland just cannot string anything together as an attacking force so far.
09:10 PM BST
52 minutes: Coventry 0 Sunderland 0
Roberts gets across to make a sliding tackle for Sunderland near his own corner flag, but after the free-kick is launched long Coventry soon have it back. The home team look for the run of Wright in behind, and Hume recovers to win a tackle at the expense of a corner.
09:07 PM BST
49 minutes: Coventry 0 Sunderland 0
Dasilva shifts the ball to cross from the left touchline, and Thomas-Asante was up early in the box but he could not keep his header down. Coventry continue to look the team more likely to find the game’s first goal. The game is being broken up by a number of fouls, which suits Sunderland.
09:05 PM BST
47 minutes: Coventry 0 Sunderland 0
No changes from either manager at the break. The second half has started in a familiar pattern with Coventry probing and Sunderland deep in their defensive shape. Rudoni is crowded out and the ball runs through for a Sunderland goal kick.
09:03 PM BST
We are back under way in the second half
Coventry get the second 45 minutes started.
08:47 PM BST
HT: Coventry 0 Sunderland 0
Frank Lampard’s team the more positive of the two sides by some distance, but they have not made their control count. Ben Sheaf’s blocked shot was probably their clearest opening but it was not a clear-cut chance. Sunderland’s strikers Mayenda and Isidor have threatened sporadically, but they look content with 0-0.
Coventry City’s Jack Rudoni sends a header back into the danger area - PA/Nick Potts08:44 PM BST
44 minutes: Coventry 0 Sunderland 0
An unnecessary foul means Sunderland have another set-piece to defend but Haji Wright’s header is glanced harmlessly behind. For all Coventry’s possession, it looks like being a frustrating first half.
08:42 PM BST
42 minutes: Coventry 0 Sunderland 0
Sunderland with their first attacking foray of significance for quite some time. Grimes is penalised for a foul on La Fee, which looked a little soft. Free-kick in a shooting position right of centre.
Sunderland worked a clever free-kick short to set up a shot for Hume, but Sakamoto was sharp to block the attempt.
08:40 PM BST
40 minutes: Coventry 0 Sunderland 0
Coventry are feeding most of their attacks down the right to Sakamoto but Sunderland left-back Cirkin, on a yellow card, is defending well enough. Thomas is penalised for a shirt pull from a Coventry corner and the away team can clear their lines.
08:37 PM BST
37 minutes: Coventry 0 Sunderland 0
Coventry picking up the pieces from another long throw, and Grimes fires a volley from distance over the bar. The home team are pressing aggressively and forcing Sunderland to go long. Neither Mayenda and Isidor are doing enough to make it stick at the moment.
08:35 PM BST
35 minutes: Coventry 0 Sunderland 0
Sunderland are doggedly defending their box again. Sakamoto floats in an inswinging cross to the back post and Sunderland goalkeeper Patterson pushes the ball behind at the back post for a corner.
08:32 PM BST
32 minutes: Coventry 0 Sunderland 0
Lovely interplay from Coventry again, Sakamoto is proving a big influence on this game, both on the touchline and when he floats inside. Rudoni looked for Van Ewijk on the overlap but his cross was blocked.
James Maddison, a famous son of Coventry, is in the stands. The Spurs midfielder faces a two or three-month recovery from a knee injury.
James Maddison watches on - Getty Images/Catherine Ivill08:29 PM BST
28 minutes: Coventry 0 Sunderland 0
Coventry defend well from a Sunderland corner, before Grimes shuffles across to usher out Neil who had made a burst forward from midfield for the away team. Wright and Hume are then involved in some verbals after the Sunderland right-back fouled and then pushed the Coventry winger in the chest.
08:27 PM BST
26 minutes: Coventry 0 Sunderland 0
Sunderland’s defence coming under heavy pressure in the last few minutes. Mayenda is robbed of possession, looking for a soft foul. Wright just about kept the ball in to cut it back for Sheaf to chop inside and see a shot blocked, before Wright was flagged for offside as he tried to poke the ball at goal.
08:24 PM BST
24 minutes: Coventry 0 Sunderland 0
Coventry are testing the Sunderland defence with some long throws, but when the loose ball dropped for Ben Sheaf to strike on the half-volley he skewed the attempt horribly high and wide.
Then Sunderland threaten on the counter-attack after a great turn on halfway by Mayenda. It looks like Kitching had got back at the striker, but he barrelled his way to a strike from 25 yards just wide of the post.
08:22 PM BST
21 minutes: Coventry 0 Sunderland 0
Coventry’s midfielder Grimes is dropping between his two centre-backs to help the home team play around Sunderland’s two strikers, but most of the possession has been fairly sterile so far.
Sakamoto injects from pace into the attack from the right wing though, and Sunderland left-back Cirkin is so late it is next week with a challenge near the touchline. Dan Neil heads away the free-kick.
08:18 PM BST
18 minutes: Coventry 0 Sunderland 0
The Coventry fans refuse to be subdued by what has been a fairly tight but uneventful start to the game. That will probably suit Sunderland just fine, with a number of their fans expressing the view that they would gladly take a goalless draw back to the Stadium of Light.
08:15 PM BST
15 minutes: Coventry 0 Sunderland 0
Sunderland are filing back behind the bell in their 4-4-2 shape with Coventry probing. The home team try to clip a longer ball forward for Thomas-Asante who is between the Sunderland centre-backs, but the Coventry striker could not gather the ball into his path.
Coventry City head coach Frank Lampard - PA/Nick Potts08:13 PM BST
12 minutes: Coventry 0 Sunderland 0
Coventry have seen most of the ball so far, but Sunderland are looking to be direct and hit their two strikers whenever they win it back with Mayenda looking to run the channels. Lampard’s team are back on the ball again, but O’Nein defends against Wright.
Patterson gets his handling right this time to come and claim the Coventry long throw.
08:09 PM BST
9 minutes: Coventry 0 Sunderland 0
Sunderland tried to work a free-kick routine off the training ground, chipping the ball towards the run of Hume but there was too much weight on the delivery. To Coventry’s concern, the Sunderland right-back was completely free.
Then Sakamoto lets the ball run across his body and Van Ewijk wins a free-kick for Coventry.
08:07 PM BST
7 minutes: Coventry 0 Sunderland 0
Another nervous moment at the back for Sunderland with Ballard heading the ball off the head of his defensive partner O’Nien but Rudoni could not shift the ball to get a shot away inside the penalty area.
Bellingham shows his composure and quick feet to skip through a few challenges and win a free-kick for Sunderland just beyond halfway.
08:05 PM BST
4 minutes: Coventry 0 Sunderland 0
Coventry with their first corner of the game, aimed at Thomas at the back post, and the ball flicks behind for another corner. The next one goes towards the near post, but Jobe Bellingham leans in to chest the tame deliver behind for a third successive Coventry goalkeeper.
Sunderland won the initial header, but Coventry returned it with interest, and Sunderland’s goalkeeper Patterson made a right mess of it. A Superman impression, came to take everything but missed, and he was fortunate the loose ball did not drop for a sky blue shirt.
08:02 PM BST
2 minutes: Coventry 0 Sunderland 0
Sunderland are playing two up front with Isidor and Mayenda, and they are playing for territory early on. Plenty of players snapping into tackles in the early exchanges. That could leave Sunderland’s midfield undermanned and leave space for Rudoni.
08:00 PM BST
KICK OFF!
Sunderland get the first leg of this Championship play-off semi-final under way.
07:58 PM BST
The players are out
Just a pocket of red and white surrounded by sky blue at the snappily named Coventry Building Society Arena. I think we’re about to hear We’ll Live and Die In These Towns.
07:54 PM BST
Lampard’s pre-match thoughts
We’re happy to be here and a great feeling to get here last week but you start again now for two really tough matches against a team who finished above us in the table. So prepare for the game, we have our home fans behind us, and try to perform well.
07:51 PM BST
Coventry’s strong home record
Only Bristol City and Leeds United won more Championship points at home after Lampard’s first game at the Coventry Building Society Arena in November.
07:42 PM BST
Sunderland’s recent form
Sunderland were in the mix for automatic promotion for much of the season, but finished the campaign with five consecutive defeats and just two wins in their last 10 games. League form can be reversed in the play-offs, but that is a startlingly poor run of form to take into such a big game. Sunderland scored just one goal in their final six matches. I suppose you could make the case that once a top two-finish was off the cards there was little jeopardy.
07:27 PM BST
Coventry City’s players taking it all in
Coventry City’s Raphael, Milan van Ewijk, Victor Torp and Haji Wright on the pitch.
07:14 PM BST
Chris Rigg starts on the bench for Sunderland
Luke Edwards spoke to Sunderland’s 17-year-old midfielder, who has played a remarkable amount of first-team football already in his young career. In the interview, Rigg talks about how Championship opponents try to intimidate him, including zingers such as: “You’re still getting breastfed, aren’t you?”
07:07 PM BST
Sunderland team news
Your semi-final Sunderland ???? pic.twitter.com/7CwmPwILX4
— Sunderland AFC (@SunderlandAFC) May 9, 2025
07:05 PM BST
Coventry team news
Your Sky Blues tonight. ???? pic.twitter.com/4ZUxzI1dvp
— Coventry City (@Coventry_City) May 9, 2025
06:55 PM BST
Jobe Bellingham arrives
Earlier in the season, our northern football writer Luke Edwards wrote this piece about the younger of football’s Bellingham brothers and how the Sunderland midfielder is a player and personality in his own right. While the siblings might be their own men, they share a love for a tackle and some verbals on the pitch.
Sunderland’s Jobe Bellingham - PA/Bradley Collyer06:44 PM BST
Coventry’s unofficial anthem
Coventry fans’ choice of pre-match song garnered public attention at last season’s FA Cup semi-final against Manchester United. Before every game, their supporters belt out We’ll Live and Die in These Towns by noughties guitar band The Enemy who are local lads. Matt Law spoke to their bassist Andy Hopkins about what it means to have a song adopted by the club you support as an expression of local pride. In the piece, Frank Lampard reveals he has been listening to the song in his car.
Personally, I hope there is some room for The Specials in the Coventry songbook, although the fast cadence of Terry Hall’s lyrics might be difficult for thousands to sing in unison. Some inventive QPR fans once came up with “Dunne to Mutch, Mutch to Yun,” in honour of Richard Dunne, Jordon Mutch and Yun Suk-young.
Coventry City fans with The Enemy's 'We'll Live and Die in These Towns'
— Tom Burrows (@TBurrows16) April 21, 2024
Superb #CCFCpic.twitter.com/D1TxXqc2ZT
06:32 PM BST
Amad Diallo wishing his former loan club well
I want to wish Good luck to Sunderland for the semis ????????❤️????????
— Amad (@Amaddiallo_19) May 9, 2025
06:31 PM BST
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06:26 PM BST
Coventry hoping for a repeat of March home game against Sunderland
The first of the Championship play-off semi-finals looks a foregone conclusion after Sheffield United’s 3-0 win at Bristol City, but Coventry City vs Sunderland promises to be a far tighter affair (if refereeing decisions allow).
Sunderland finished seven points above Coventry across the 46 games of the regulation season, but intriguingly the team lower in the table have a better expected goal difference courtesy of stronger attacking numbers. The head-to-head fixtures produced a 2-2 draw at the Stadium of Light and a 3-0 win for Coventry at the Coventry Building Society Arena.
Frank Lampard has lifted Coventry from 17th, when he replaced long-serving manager Mark Robins, to contention for Premier League promotion. A run of nine league wins in 10 games between January and March laid the platform before a play-off spot was confirmed by a 2-0 victory over Middlesbrough on the final day.
Jack Rudoni scored both of Coventry’s goals that day, and the 23-year-old has thrived under Lampard with the most assists of any player in the Championship. American forward Haji Wright is Coventry’s top goalscorer. The appointment of Lampard was divisive among Coventry fans, especially so given the respect for the job done by Robins, but it has paid dividends.
Sunderland, led by French manager Régis Le Bris, have caught the eye with their style of play and collection of young talent. Chris Rigg, who will not turn 18 until next month, featured in 42 of their 46 league games, while 19-year-old Jobe Bellingham’s performances have seen him linked with a Premier League move. There are some more experienced heads in the team, including former Bournemouth defender Chris Mepham and Luke O’Nien. French striker Wilson Isidor is their man goal threat.
The Weirside club were in this position two years ago when they were going for back-to-back promotions, but a team propelled by the talent of Amad Diallo fell short against Luton Town. Sunderland enjoyed 10 consecutive seasons in the Premier League before relegation in 2017 but have not been back in the top flight since.
Full team news on the way shortly.
