Eliezer Mayenda scored an 88th minute winner to achieve a crucial 2-1 victory for Sunderland on Coventry City in the first stage of their championship-off semi-final on Friday.
In the Arena of Coventry Building Society, the Black Cats took a surprising lead by Wilson Isidor, who ended a goal of three months of drought with a composed finish in the 68th minute.
But Coventry City fought back almost immediately. Only 110 seconds later, the in-shape Jack Rudoni met the cross of Milan van Ewijk with a powerful header to level the score.
The Sky Blues pushed hard for a winner when the game approached a hectic finish, but it was Mayenda who finally came up with the decisive moment.
The Spaniard came in on a bad back pass from Van Ewijk, who completed goalkeeper Ben Wilson and slid home to seal the first victory of Sunderland in eight games after a gloomy end of the regular season.
But the job is far from done for the hosts. The goal of Mayenda has given them a lead, but there is a second stage that will be played on Tuesday in the Stadium of Light to determine who will continue the play-off final.
The winners of the draw will be confronted on 24 May with Sheffield United of Bristol City in Wembley, with the knives with a 3-0 advantage that go in their second stage.
We take an advantage of one goal back to the Stadium of Light! #Tilthend pic.twitter.com/k1orcrtyqp
– Sunderland AFC (@sunderlandAFC) 9 May 2025
Data Debrief: Sunderland Snap Streak at the right time
Sunderland came in sad form in the play-offs, after he had lost five in conflict and only scored once in their last six games.
Indeed, their recent record against Coventry also offered little encouragement. They had not won against the Sky Blues about their last 10 league games (D5 L5), with their last victory that goes back to February 2007.
The aim of Isidor ended a 427-minute championship scores drought for Sunderland-Hun longest since 389 minutes without scoring from 16 August 2017 to 9 September 2017.
In the meantime, Coventry has the expected goals (XG) fight with 1.52 xg to Sunderland's 1.46, emphasizes how nice in balance the game remains for the second stage.
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