Sunderland Secure Wembley Slot After Play-Off Drama

14/05/2025 11:07 Share

Sunderland Secure Wembley Slot After Play-Off Drama

Sunderland will meet Sheffield United at Wembley later this month for a place in the Premier League after coming out on top of a dramatic EFL Championship play-off semi-final against Coventry City.

The Vertu-backed side had secured a spot in the play-offs having spent the entirety of the season inside the top four, although the Black Cats were also on a six game winless run heading into the first leg.

Making the trip down to Coventry to face a team that had won the corresponding league game 3-0 back in March, the pressure was firmly on Regis Le Bris and his team – with the Frenchman springing a surprise by going with two strikers in his line-up and switching to a 4-4-2 formation.

Coventry created chances in the first half but it was Sunderland who grabbed the lead after the break when Wilson Isidor ended a barren run in front of goal by blasting the ball past ‘keeper Ben Wilson.

The home side battled back to level things up through Jack Rudoni and it appeared that the tie would be equal going back to the Stadium of Light before Eliezer Mayenda pounced on a poor backpass with two minutes left to net a vital winner.

With Sheffield United waiting in the final after a record-breaking 6-0 aggregate win against Bristol City, Sunderland emerged in front of a raucous crowd at the Stadium of Light looked to protect their lead.

Such was the tension going into the game, Sunderland even elected to move advertising hoarding closer to the pitch to reduce Coventry’s chances of utilising a long throw-in and the scores remained level at the break.

However, in the second half it was the visitors who broke the deadlock, with a cross from the right finding Ephron Mason-Clark who turned the ball into the corner to bring the scores level.

After a huge scare with the final touch of the match saw Haji Wright misjudge a header and send the ball wide when well placed in the centre of the box.

Both teams had chances in extra time but just when it appeared that penalty kicks would decide who made it to Wembley, Dan Ballard towered above the Coventry defence at a corner to thump a headed into the net in stoppage time.

That sent the Stadium of Light into raptures as Sunderland secured their place in the final for the chance to make a return to the Premier League for the first time since the 2016/17 season.