Who ever believed the form book counted for much in the playoffs anyway? No team has ever entered the English playoffs in worse form than Sunderland, after their five successive defeats, but goals from Wilson Isidor, his first in 14 games, and Eliezer Mayenda, after a disastrous back-pass from Milan van Ewijk, enabled Sunderland to earn their first victory over Coventry since 2007 and become favourites to reach the Wembley final against either Sheffield United or Bristol City on 24 May.
Jack Rudoni, who grew up a Chelsea fan, Frank Lampard his hero, had headed Coventry level within two minutes of Isidor breaking his long goal drought. But then, in the 88th minute, Mayenda was gifted a clear run on goal by Van Ewijk’s nightmare of a blind pass back towards his goalkeeper Ben Wilson. The Spanish striker rounded the Sunderland academy graduate in Coventry’s net and scored the goal that has turned expectations on their head. The 2,400 travelling Sunderland fans reprised the Roker roar in their small corner of the CBS Arena.
Lampard lifted Coventry from just above the relegation zone to fifth place after taking over in November and is certainly not discounting the possibility of reaching Wembley from this disadvantaged position. He took Derby to the 2019 Championship playoff final after recovering from two goals behind to Leeds. “It’s half-time,” the manager said. “This was never going to be over [after one game] and it’s not over, that’s for sure. And Sunderland will know it’s not over. We know it’s not over. I won’t be drawing on too much from the past. We just look at what this [second] game might look like, and we don’t know, because they may take the same [defensive] approach at home that they brought here. Will they want to play so low at home, or will the crowd drag them out. They sucked us in [tonight] and hit us on the break.”
This, however, after a mediocre run of 14 points from 14 games, was Sunderland’s night. They won with 26% possession and two fine finishes from their front pairing.
Régis Le Bris’s team have for so long been effectively guaranteed fourth place, with Leeds, Burnley and Sheffield United battling it out for the two automatic promotion places, that they had taken their foot off the gas. The Sunderland head coach conceded as much after this breakaway victory.
“Today we felt like we were playing with a plan, after the five previous games, with all our players [but two] fit and fresh. We did so well to get fourth place but then players are players and if you don’t have something to chase … today they showed they had a purpose.”
Coventry fans have endured bitter experiences in the past two seasons, losing in penalty shootouts in both the Championship playoff final, to Luton, two years ago, and the FA Cup semi-final, to Manchester United last year, under Mark Robins, but their vociferous sell-out crowd had Sunderland quaking in the first period.
Everything appeared in Coventry’s favour. They had been in decent form, winning nine of their previous 11 home games, and stretched their unbeaten run against Sunderland to 10 games when Haji Wright scored a hat-trick in the win here in March.
From the right wing, Tatsuhiro Sakamoto was constantly causing Sunderland problems, not least after Dennis Cirkin was booked for a fairly crude foul midway through the half. He seemed able to cut inside and swerve over his inswinging crosses at will, and more than once Anthony Patterson flapped at crosses. But they did not have any clearcut chances.
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In their third playoff in four seasons, Sunderland came back into this contest after the interval. A corner routine had ended with Enzo Le Fée delivering a fine diagonal cross for Trai Hume, the original taker, to volley hard but wide.
Although Rudoni, the jewel in Coventry’s crown, snapped a shot wide, there was a sense of unease infiltrating the home ranks. Three Coventry players were cautioned in eight minutes. Sure enough, Sunderland went ahead midway through the second half. Le Fée picked up the ball in the centre circle and this time the two forwards split their runs. Isidor was picked out superbly, as Coventry appealed in vain for offside, and the Frenchman cut inside to fire his shot into the far bottom corner for his 13th goal of the season.
This served to wake Coventry up. Within two minutes Van Ewijk crossed from the right wing and Rudoni – who else? – rose at the near post to head powerfully home, his 12th goal involvement in his last 13 games. But Mayenda, who turned 20 on the eve of the game, had more cause for celebration as he scored the winner of this first leg.
Source: theguardian.com
