Coventry City 1-2 Sunderland: Black Cats edge first leg with late Mayenda winner | OneFootball

Sunderland will take a narrow 1-2 advantage into the second leg of their Championship play-off semi-final after edging Coventry City in a tightly contested first leg at the Coventry Building Society Arena.

Eliezer Mayenda’s cool 87th-minute finish, capitalising on a poor Coventry backpass, capped a resolute and clinical second-half performance from the visitors, who arrived at the CBS Arena off the back of five straight league defeats.

As it happened

Both sides struggled for fluency early in the game. The hosts enjoyed the better of the first half’s numbers, dominating possession and exerting sustained pressure through a series of early corners. Sunderland goalkeeper Anthony Patterson endured a nervy start, flapping at early deliveries.

Ben Sheaf and Haji Wright both saw efforts blocked in quick succession, while Jobe Bellingham and Dan Neil put in tireless shifts off the ball to frustrate the hosts. Patterson, nervy under the high balls early on, grew in confidence and dealt well with Coventry’s regular set-piece deliveries, including dangerous long throws from Milan van Ewijk.

The Black Cats’ most dangerous moment of the half came on 24 minutes via Mayenda, who surged from deep, outpacing defenders, only to skew his shot wide after a lung-busting run.

The second half followed a similar pattern, though Coventry’s composure began to wane as a flurry of yellow cards – for Sheaf, Van Ewijk and Kitching – reflected growing frustration in the home ranks.

The breakthrough came just past the hour mark. A confident forward pass from Dan Ballard released AS Roma loanee Enzo Le Fee, who fed Wilson Isidor on the left. The French forward arrowed a precise right-footed strike into the bottom corner to put Sunderland ahead and notch his 12th of the season.

Their advantage, however, was short lived. Just 110 seconds later, the Sky Blues restored parity as Van Ewijk’s lofted cross from the right found Jack Rudoni, who guided a deft header past Patterson to bring the hosts level.

Yet it was Sunderland who would strike the decisive blow. In the 87th minute, Mayenda capitalised on a wayward backpass from Van Ewijk, rounding Wilson with composure before finishing into the unguarded net.

Coventry pushed for a familiar late twist – having scored five goals in second-half stoppage time this season – and came close through Wright, but a superb last-ditch challenge from Bellingham in the six-yard box ensured the visitors would hold their lead.

It marked Sunderland’s first win in six matches and their first play-off semi-final away leg victory since 1989-90. They now take a slender advantage back to the Stadium of Light, while Coventry will look to regroup and respond as they head into a must-win second leg on Wearside.

The lineups

SUN: Patterson, Cirkin, O’Nien, Ballard, Hume, Le Fee, Bellingham, Neil, Roberts, Isidor, Mayenda