Sunderland 1-1 Coventry City [3-2 agg.]: Ballard the hero after stoppage time header sends Black Cats to Wembley | OneFootball

Dan Ballard scored a dramatic 122nd-minute goal to defeat Coventry City and send Sunderland through to the Championship Play-Off final.

The game looked destined for a penalty shootout as the clock approached the final minute of stoppage time in extra-time, only for Ballard to head home Enzo Le Fée’s corner to break Sky Blue hearts on Wearside.

Frank Lampard’s Coventry had taken the lead on the night and drew level on aggregate after Ephron Mason-Clarke’s excellent 75th minute cushioned volley caused a nervy finish in normal time before the enthralling extra-time period.

As it happened

As Sunderland took a slender lead into the second leg, the onus was on the visitors to break down a stern Black Cats defence. They failed to do so in what was a comfortable opening 25 minutes for Régis Le Bris’ side, who nearly added to their aggregate lead when Eliezer Mayenda’s burst of pace took him into the area before forcing Ben Wilson into a sharp save.

A yellow card was brandished to Ben Sheaf shortly after for a late challenge in the middle of the park and this seemed to be the catalyst for the action to commence on Wearside, as Lampard’s Sky Blues started to finally create chances of their own.

Jack Rudoni failed to make contact with the ball after a well worked set-piece was recycled by Tatsuhiro Sakamoto, as his delivery was knocked across goal. The attacking midfielder’s acrobatic effort then failed to come off.

Haji Wright’s low cross into the area travelled all the way to Rudoni who, while off-balance, then found Sakamoto but the Japanese winger was unable to keep his effort on target. He was involved in the final chance of the half as he cut onto his left foot and whipped a delicious ball into the area. Ephron Mason-Clarke kept it alive for Rudoni, who beat Anthony Patterson to get contact on the ball first, only to see it fly over the bar.

Coventry came out the blocks in the second half the faster of the two sides, as a well worked corner routine was pulled to the edge of the area. Sakamoto’s effort was blocked before Milan van Ewijk struck wide of the target from distance. However, Sunderland were resilient and limited any efforts on Patterson’s goal, and nearly opened the scoring themselves.

Luke O’Nien lifted a ball in from deep which picked out Trai Hume, whose volleyed effort forced Wilson into a smart save to keep Coventry in with a shout. That shout then came in the 75 minute.

The away fans in the heavens at the Stadium of Light erupted as Van Ewijk was slipped in down the right flank and his delivery was expertly finished by Mason-Clarke into the bottom-right corner. The forward managed to get ahead of Hume, who was caught sleeping at the back post. That was the 25th goal scored from a cross by Coventry this season.

The final kick could have sent the Sky Blues through, but Wright got his header all wrong. Sakamoto’s cross was pin-point to the American, but he could not guide it towards goal. As a result another 30 minutes was to come in on Wearside.

The first 15 minutes flew by as neither side could take a chance. Sunderland were the side to play on the break, while Coventry kept the majority of the possession.

Sunderland’s substitutes nearly worked their magic as 17-year-old Chirs Rigg pulled the ball across goal and Romain Mundle looked to bury the ball home only for Josh Eccles to clear on the line.

It looked destined for penalties as the clock reached the final minute. Then, in the 122nd minute of the night, Ballard rose highest and glanced Le Fée’s corner off the crossbar and into the back of the night to send the Stadium of Light wild, as Sunderland secured their place in the Championship Play-Off final against Sheffield United in the most dramatic of fashions.

The lineups

SUN: Patterson; Hume, Ballard, O’Nien, Cirkin; Roberts, Neil, Bellingham, Le Fée; Mayenda, Isidor