Sunderland vs Coventry prediction: Black Cats to book play-off final place | OneFootball

Sunderland host Coventry City in the second leg of their Championship play-off on Tuesday night, with the tie finely poised after the Black Cats earned a narrow 2-1 victory in the home leg.

It took until 68 minutes for Wilson Isidor to open the scoring last week, though the hosts replied within two minutes as Jack Rudoni equalised. Nevertheless, it was the visitors who’d have the last say, with Eliezer Mayenda scoring with just two minutes left to give them a potentially vital advantage.

Ahead of the second leg, betting sites are backing the Black Cats to earn a home win, offering odds of 6/5 compared to 11/5 for Coventry and 12/5 for the draw.

And with the first leg result in mind, it’s the hosts who look the more likely to book their place in the final at Wembley on 24 May, with football betting sites offering 2/11 for Sunderland to qualify versus 7/2 for the Sky Blues.

Somewhat surprisingly, last week’s win was the first victory that Sunderland have recorded over Coventry since 2007, with the Black Cats having failed to beat Coventry over 10 games across League One and the Championship.

Thankfully for Regis Le Bris’ side, they won when it mattered last week, having been better than their opponents throughout the regular season.

And while that win was the first in three attempts this season too, the reversal of the 3-0 loss from the regular season shows that the Black Cats have enough to win when it matters most, and with the away tie out of the way, all Sunderland have to do is avoid a home defeat to book their place at Wembley.

Nevertheless, betting apps have Sunderland as clear favourites for a win, with last week’s assured display – coupled with home advantage at the Stadium of Light – suggesting that the hosts have more than enough to get past Coventry once more.

To that end, a wager on Sunderland to win but both teams to score – as happened in the first leg – could offer value at 17/5 with William Hill.

Wilson Isidor took his Championship tally to 13 goals this season when he scored the opener in the first leg, with the Frenchman extending his lead on Sunderland’s goalscoring charts for the season.

The 24-year-old had previously gone on a 13-game non-scoring streak before the first leg as Sunderland failed to win any of their last six regular season matches, but having found the net last week, breaking the duck could be exactly what he needed in order to go on and find some form at a critical time.

And with the Frenchman once again likely to lead the line alongside fellow first-leg scorer Mayenda, the goalscoring burden will again fall on the Black Cats’ top scorer, who also scored earlier in the season against the Sky Blues.

To that end, a wager on Isidor to score anytime could provide value at 15/8 on Bet365.

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