Eliezer Mayenda scored a late winner as Sunderland beat Frank Lampard’s Coventry 2-1 in the first leg of their English Championship playoff semi-final on Friday.
Despite finishing seven points ahead of their opponents, Sunderland’s form nosedived toward the end of the regular season, with five successive defeats and just one goal in a six-game winless streak.
However, after defending resolutely against a side they had lost 3-0 to in March, Sunderland were clinical on the counter-attack, and Mayenda’s 88th-minute goal gave the Black Cats a potentially crucial advantage.
Photo: AP
Wilson Isidor had put Sunderland ahead midway through the second half, but their opponents were level within 110 seconds thanks to Jack Rudoni.
Coventry would need to pick themselves up for Tuesday’s second leg at the Stadium of Light as they bid for a second playoff final in three years.
The visitors opened the scoring when French forward Isidor ghosted into space and latched on to Enzo Le Fee’s ball behind the Coventry defense before racing unchallenged into the area and firing across a helpless Ben Wilson.
However, Sunderland conceded within two minutes of going ahead.
Milan van Ewijk raced to the byline and directed a cross for an unmarked Rudoni to head home.
The hosts pushed forward at every opportunity, but Sunderland showed they were not settling for a draw as Patrick Roberts curled narrowly wide before Mayenda struck.
The 20-year-old took advantage of a wayward pass back from Van Ewijk to get to the ball first, round Wilson, who had hared out of his area, and coolly dispatched it into an empty net.
“It’s just halftime,” Sunderland boss Regis Le Bris told Sky Sports. “I think we showed today that we were in our plan. We were fresh, we were connected and had all of our players available.
“We knew it’d be tough because Coventry are good and the second leg will be tight,” he said.
On Thursday, Sheffield United moved to within touching distance of a place in the Championship playoff final after beating Bristol City 3-0.
Tainan TSG Hawks slugger Steven Moya, who is leading the CPBL in home runs, has withdrawn from this weekend’s All-Star Game after the unexpected death of his wife. Moya’s wife began feeling severely unwell aboard a plane that landed at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport on Friday evening. She was rushed to a hospital, but passed away, the Hawks said in a statement yesterday. The franchise is assisting Moya with funeral arrangements and hopes fans who were looking forward to seeing him at the All-Star Game can understand his decision to withdraw. According to Landseed Medical Clinic, whose staff attempted to save Moya’s wife,
Shohei Ohtani on Wednesday homered for the fifth consecutive game, tying a Los Angeles Dodgers franchise record. Yankees star Aaron Judge was the last player to homer in five consecutive games, accomplishing that feat last year. Ohtani, who leads the National League with 37 home runs, homered in the first inning off Minnesota Twins starter Chris Paddack. He hit a slow curveball 134m to center. He carried the bat midway down the first-base line and then did a bat flip. He did not hit a home run later in the game with the Dodgers trailing, but his presence was felt. With two outs
Taiwan’s world No. 6 shuttler Chou Tien-chen yesterday defeated India’s H.S. Prannoy to advance to the quarter-finals of the China Open in Changzhou. It was former world No. 2 Chou’s eighth win in 14 matches against Prannoy, who had earlier this week lamented the age divide between him and up-and-comers, although he is only two years younger than 35-year-old Chou. The Taiwanese, who is seeded sixth at the tournament, rebounded from a close 21-18 loss in game 1 on Court 2 at the Olympic Sports Center Gymnasium. He bounced back to take the next games 21-15, 21-8 and set up a tough quarter-final
The Tampa Bay Rays on Tuesday acquired Taiwanese-American outfielder Stuart Fairchild from the Atlanta Braves for cash considerations to fill the roster after All-Star second baseman Brandon Lowe was placed back on the injured list. Fairchild was designated for assignment by the Braves on Monday after hitting .216/.273/.333 in 28 games for Atlanta, with most of his work coming as a pinch runner or defensive replacement. He joins Tampa Bay as a versatile fourth outfielder option. To make room for Fairchild on the 40-man roster, the Rays transferred relief pitcher Manuel Rodriguez (forearm strain) from the 15-day injured list to the 60-day
RSS