Agency :
Sunderland secured their place in the Sky Bet Championship play-off final after drawing 1-1 with Coventry City, winning the tie 3-2 on aggregate inside an Electric Stadium of Light on Tuesday.
A frantic first half ended goalless. Ephron Mason-Clark broke the deadlock for the Sky Blues inside the final 15 minutes, but Dan Ballard’s powerful header in the final seconds of extra-time was enough to send the Lads to Wembley.
Régis Le Bris opted to name an unchanged starting XI following the Black Cats’ first-leg victory over Coventry, with winger Romaine Mundle returning to replace Jenson Seelt on the bench.
In a cagey opening to the match, Sunderland created the game’s first chance on five minutes, but Enzo Le Fée fired his effort wide of Ben Wilson’s near post.
The visitors tested Anthony Patterson’s palms for the first time on 17 minutes, Mason-Clark cutting in from the left before drilling his attempt straight at the Black Cats’ goalkeeper.
Eliezer Mayenda came within inches of breaking the deadlock on 23 minutes. The striker neatly controlled the ball before jinking his way past three Sky Blues players, forcing Wilson into a low save.
Frank Lampard’s side created two big chances in quick succession. Firstly, Tatsuhiro Sakamoto was unable to direct the ball goalwards after a melee inside the box. Shortly after, Rudoni hooked Mason-Clark’s pass over Patterson’s bar from five yards out.
The Sky Blues continued to apply pressure in the latter stages of the first half, Rudoni this time flicking Mason-Clark’s header over Patterson’s crossbar from close range.
The away side started the second half on the front foot. Rudoni’s thunderous drive was blocked after being picked out by Ben Sheaf from a corner, with the follow-up strike from Milan van Ewijk flying wide.
Wilson was forced into a brilliant point-blank save on 65 minutes to deny Trai Hume’s volley after connecting with Luke O’Nien’s whipped cross.
In a manic affair, Coventry took the lead on 75 minutes, squaring up the tie on aggregate through Mason-Clark. The striker was first to react, poking van Ewijk’s teasing cross past Patterson from six yards out.
