He could lack the technical shine of the Champions League or breathtaking athletics of the Premier League, but nothing beats the Championship qualifiers for tension and theater.
With the tie between Coventry and Sunderland crawling towards a draw, Milan Van Ewijk underpasted a handbag and sent Eliezer Mayenda Clear. The Soundland striker was not mistaken and the bearers are now the favorites to reach the final, where they will almost certainly face Sheffield United.
Even before this time, it was a match rich in sub-stints. In the blue corner, we had Frank Lampard, trying to win his first promotion as a manager, with Coventry. In the red, a team from Sunderland who arrived in the playoffs after five consecutive defeats but defended courageously and took a lead in the second half thanks to Wilson Isidor.
They were torn off a few moments later when Jack Rudoni equalized for the local team, but Mayenda’s intervention means that Sunderland will have the advantage in the home leg.
These clubs have an unlikely rivalry dating from the 1976/77 season, when Sunderland was relegated by a draw between Coventry and Bristol City, which both needed a point to be safe. Sunderland cried a fault and has been looking for revenge since. Going to Wembley at Coventry’s expense would be particularly soft.
Applied by a deafening crowd, Coventry won three first corners but found Soundland in an obstinate way – although visitors have survived a fear in the fifth minute.
Sunderland won 2-1 in Coventry City in the first stage of his championship semi-final
Eliezer Mayenda achieved the winning goal in the 88th minute at the Coventry Building Society Arena
Frank Lampard’s side has everything to do before Tuesday’s second stage at the Light Stadium
Jay Dasilva returned to the danger zone and goalkeeper Anthony Patterson defeated wildly, causing the balloon. Fortunately for Sunderland, neither Haji Wright nor Brandon Thomas-Asante could take advantage of it and Trai Hume clearly hammered her.
From there, the model was defined. With Jobe Bellingham, Jude’s younger brother, working hard alongside Dan Neil in the central midfielder, Sunderland allowed Coventry to race and the side of Frank Lampard lacked cunning at key moments.
Although they forced five corners before the break, and the long jets of Milan Van Ewijk meant that Sunderland had to be alert, clear chances were few. One of Van Ewijk’s deliveries, Ben Sheaf explained an excellent position inside the box. A few moments later, the volume of the outside increased while Eliezer Mayenda turned Liam Kitching halfway and charged Coventry’s goal.
Launched by Liam Kitching and Matt Grimes, the Sunderland striker was still able to trigger a shot, but he did not test Ben Wilson. The disjointed nature of half was summarized when Bellingham, clearly a talented player, obtained the blind ball in half of the opposition.
Coventry had struggled to bring their great men Wright and Tatsuhiro Sakamoto in the game. Sakamoto is a very skilful player who does not have the pace to beat his man outside. Wright can do exactly that and when he led for the signature and reduce it, Sheaf’s efforts were superbly blocked by Daniel Ballard.
Came the crosses, the corners, the jets. Really, a leading head was the first to meet her. The home crowd became annoyed and began to reprimand the side of the broken regis for time broadcasting when they re -mounted the restarts.
At his best, Enzo Le Fee is an elegant footballer but on the left of 4-4-2 in Sunderland, the Frenchman looked like a toy boat on a stormy sea, overwhelmed by the physicity that surrounds him. His teammates can certainly manage themselves and they were seriously in danger before the break, with Grimes Volley in the crowd encapsulating Coventry’s frustrations.
Wilson Isidor opened the scoring for Sunderland halfway from the second half Friday
Jack Rudoni was heading for Coventry before the interior team fell to a late defeat on the floor at home
Coventry persisted with the plan at the start of the second half while Dasilva was doing well to get rid of the left and meet for Thomas-Asante, who went well. From the last corner, the ball broke at the edge of the box and Sakamoto broke it loud and wide. Hume did not do better at the other end, choosing to hit the first time rather than taking a touch when the FEE chose it at the distant post. Then Jack Rudoni forced another corner of Coventry with a deviated effort of 20 meters.
While the bodies and the spirits were tired, the players made mistakes and spaces began to open. Bellingham’s strike from 12 meters was blocked by his own player and a few seconds later, the Man from Sunderland tried to win a pressure penalty from Dasilva.
Halfway half-time, pleasure for Sunderland. Deep FEE’s pass sculpted the defense of the Sky Blues and the strike of Isidor stolen into the hands of Ben Wilson and in the most distant corner.
They had little time to celebrate. Coventry gathered, Van Ewijk is going down to the right and Rudoni perfectly met his cross for 1-1. But then, Van Ewijk’s howler and the infallible finish of Mayenda.
