“He’s a “DEMON” and unbelievable”- Sky Sports pundits left stunned by what Sunderland player did as he makes ‘demons’ claim after play-off victory against Coventry City
Sunderland Edge Coventry in Gritty Play-Off Clash to Take First-Leg Advantage
Sunderland earned a determined 2-1 victory over Coventry City at the CBS Arena in the first leg of their Championship play-off semi-final, taking a vital step toward a possible trip to Wembley.
The first half of the tie saw both teams largely cancel each other out after early goals from Wilson Isidor and Jack Rudoni. But Sunderland struck again late on, as Eliezer Mayenda capitalized on a costly error from Milan van Ewijk to put the visitors ahead going into the second leg at the Stadium of Light.
Frank Lampard, aiming to break Coventry’s string of play-off disappointments, had urged his team to stay focused and not look beyond this match. However, his side now face an uphill challenge to overturn the deficit away from home.
For Sunderland, the win was a welcome turnaround after a poor end to the regular season. Manager Regis Le Bris saw his team dig deep and execute a well-prepared game plan in a tough away environment.
Sky Sports co-commentator Andy Hinchcliffe praised Sunderland’s resilience, saying:
“No one expected them to take the lead away from home. It just shows you don’t need to dominate possession to win. Sunderland defended superbly and punished Coventry’s mistakes—they were outstanding across the board.”
This performance marked a stark contrast to their last trip to the CBS Arena, where Haji Wright scored a hat-trick in a 3-0 thrashing. Le Bris had promised that history wouldn’t repeat itself—and his tactical approach paid off.
Despite a history of struggles against Coventry and a difficult run of form, Sunderland defied the odds with a composed and clinical display. Now, with the tie returning to Wearside, the pressure shifts to Lampard’s side to chase the game, which could open space for Sunderland’s counter-attackers.
Wembley remains in sight, and as Sunderland legend Peter Reid hopes, the Black Cats may finally be ready to break their play-off curse.
