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“Congratulations to Sunderland they were lucky to win because of him, he was a complete disaster to our defensive midfield”- Frank Lampard names Sunderland unplayable star that was behind their comeback win
Frank Lampard Reacts to Coventry’s Heartbreaking Play-Off Loss and Praises Sunderland Hero Dan Ballard
Coventry City head coach Frank Lampard has given his honest assessment of Sunderland’s dramatic win in the Championship play-off semi-final, praising Dan Ballard’s standout performance while expressing pride in his own team’s display over both legs.
Lampard admitted that Ballard, who scored the decisive goal in the 122nd minute to send Sunderland to Wembley, was a key figure throughout the tie.
The defender’s commanding presence at the back impressed the Coventry boss, even as his own team pushed hard for the win.
“He was fantastic,” Lampard said. “He defended the box brilliantly in the first leg and again tonight.
He’s a real presence—a dominant figure at the back. Over the two legs, he was clearly their man of the match. Credit to him, he played very well.”
Despite the loss, Lampard said his main emotion was pride, believing Coventry had been the better side across both matches.
“My overriding feeling is pride in how my players performed over the two games,” he said. “Congratulations to Sunderland—they got the decisive moment right at the end—but from a football perspective, I’m incredibly proud.
We came into a tough atmosphere a goal down, but we calmed the game and controlled large spells of the match.”
Coventry equalized through Ephron Mason-Clark in the second half, and Lampard felt the momentum was firmly with his side heading into extra time.
“In the second half, we took control and got the goal we deserved. It felt like we were the team most likely to win it.
But football can be cruel, and those key moments can decide everything. Sunderland got theirs right at the end.”
He also acknowledged Sunderland’s defensive resilience: “They dropped into a disciplined low block and worked incredibly hard to frustrate us. Credit to them for that.
But from a coaching perspective, I’m proud of how we played—how we moved the ball, probed, and kept pushing.
We spent most of the second half in their half trying to find a way through. We just couldn’t find that final breakthrough.”
Ultimately, Lampard’s Coventry fall just short, but he leaves the tie with admiration for his squad’s effort and belief that they were worthy contenders for a place at Wembley.
