Mayenda punishes large Coventry error to position Sunderland on most sensible in playoff

Who ever believed the shape ebook counted for far within the playoffs anyway? No staff has ever entered the English playoffs in worse shape than Sunderland, after their 5 successive defeats, however targets from Wilson Isidor, his first in 14 video 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 turn into favourites to succeed in the Wembley last towards both Sheffield United or Bristol City on 24 May.

Jack Rudoni, who grew up a Chelsea fan, Frank Lampard his hero, had headed Coventry degree inside two mins of Isidor breaking his lengthy function drought. But then, within the 88th minute, Mayenda used to be proficient a transparent run on function through Van Ewijk’s nightmare of a blind move again against his goalkeeper Ben Wilson. The Spanish striker rounded the Sunderland academy graduate in Coventry’s internet and scored the function that has grew to become expectancies on their head. The 2,400 travelling Sunderland fanatics reprised the Roker roar of their small nook of the CBS Arena.

Lampard lifted Coventry from simply above the relegation zone to 5th position after taking up in November and is under no circumstances discounting the opportunity of attaining Wembley from this deprived place. He took Derby to the 2019 Championship playoff last after improving from two targets in the back of to Leeds. “It’s half-time,” the chief stated. “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, then again, after a mediocre run of 14 issues from 14 video games, used to be Sunderland’s evening. They received with 26% ownership and two high quality finishes from their entrance pairing.

Régis Le Bris’s staff have for see you later been successfully assured fourth position, with Leeds, Burnley and Sheffield United struggling with it out for the 2 automated promotion puts, that they’d taken their foot off the fuel. The Sunderland head trainer conceded as a lot 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 fanatics have continued sour reports previously two seasons, dropping in penalty shootouts in each the Championship playoff last, to Luton, two years in the past, and the FA Cup semi-final, to Manchester United closing 12 months, beneath Mark Robins, however their vociferous sell-out crowd had Sunderland quaking within the first duration.

Everything seemed in Coventry’s favour. They have been in first rate shape, profitable 9 in their earlier 11 house video games, and stretched their unbeaten run towards Sunderland to 10 video games when Haji Wright scored a hat-trick within the win right here in March.

From the precise wing, Tatsuhiro Sakamoto used to be continuously inflicting Sunderland issues, now not least after Dennis Cirkin used to be booked for a quite crude foul halfway throughout the part. He gave the impression ready to chop inside of and swerve over his inswinging crosses at will, and greater than as soon as Anthony Patterson flapped at crosses. But they didn’t have any clearcut possibilities.

In their 3rd playoff in 4 seasons, Sunderland got here again into this contest after the period. A nook regimen had ended with Enzo Le Fée handing over a high quality diagonal move for Trai Hume, the unique taker, to volley exhausting however huge.

Although Rudoni, the jewel in Coventry’s crown, snapped a shot huge, there used to be a way of unease infiltrating the house ranks. Three Coventry gamers have been cautioned in 8 mins. Sure sufficient, Sunderland went forward halfway via the second one part. Le Fée picked up the ball within the centre circle and this time the 2 forwards break up their runs. Isidor used to be picked out beautifully, as Coventry appealed in useless for offside, and the Frenchman lower inside of to fireside his shot into the a long way backside nook for his 13th function of the season.

This served to wake Coventry up. Within two mins Van Ewijk crossed from the precise wing and Rudoni – who else? – rose on the close to submit to go powerfully house, his 12th function involvement in his closing 13 video games. But Mayenda, who grew to become 20 at the eve of the sport, had extra motive for birthday party as he scored the winner of this primary leg.