Sunderland will face Sheffield United within the Championship play-off ultimate after Dan Ballard’s dramatic 123rd-minute header guided them previous Coventry Metropolis within the semi-finals.
Having received 2-1 away from house within the first leg final Friday, Sunderland squandered that lead in Tuesday’s second leg on the Stadium of Gentle as Coventry’s Ephron Mason-Clark scored to take the tie to additional time.
Nonetheless, with penalties looming, centre-back Ballard powered Enzo Le Payment’s nook in off the crossbar to stun Frank Lampard’s guests and e-book the Black Cats’ place at Wembley on Might 24.
A frantic first half noticed probabilities at each ends, with Le Payment volleying off-target for Regis Le Bris’ hosts whereas Jack Rudoni prodded over the crossbar for Coventry.
Sunderland grew an increasing number of nervous because the second half went on as Lampard’s aspect despatched a barrage of crosses into their space, and Coventry’s equaliser arrived when Mason-Clark side-footed Milan van Ewijk’s supply into the bottom-right nook within the 76th minute.
The Sky Blues ought to have received it three minutes into stoppage time, however Haji Wright in some way nodded huge from six yards out as Sunderland survived till additional time.
Sunderland improved within the extra interval, but it surely was not till the third minute of stoppage time that they bought their aim, Ballard stooping to divert Le Payment’s supply in off the woodwork and spark wild celebrations on the Stadium of Gentle.
There aren’t any phrases for this second. pic.twitter.com/lFjWrNO2R6
— Sunderland AFC (@SunderlandAFC) Might 13, 2025
Knowledge debrief: Black Cats pull it out of the bag
Sunderland are only one sport away from returning to the Premier League for the primary time since their 2017 relegation, having ended Coventry’s good away report within the play-offs – they’d received their earlier two such video games, 4-1 at Notts County and 1-0 at Middlesbrough.
Sunderland, in the meantime, had completed the Championship season with three straight 1-0 defeats at house. That they had by no means misplaced 4 straight house matches with out scoring, and although they didn’t discover a method by means of in 90 minutes, they bought the job performed in the long run.
Together with additional time, Sunderland have nonetheless by no means misplaced a play-off match at Roker Park or the Stadium of Gentle, successful seven and drawing two.
Coventry had been left to rue Wright’s 93rd-minute miss, from an opportunity with an anticipated targets (xG) worth of 0.49. A stoppage-time aim did go in half an hour later, ending their promotion dream.