Ballard heads home in 123rd minute to send Sunderland into play-off final
Mason-Clark had steered Coventry level on aggregate with opener on the night at Stadium of Light
Sunderland led 2-1 after first leg
Black Cats now face Sheffield United in final on 24 May
Sunderland 0-0 Coventry (2-1 agg)
Away we go for a HUGE second half at the Stadium of Light.
Sunderland are into the Championship play-off final if things stay as they are.
A goal for Coventry would send us to extra-time and potentially penalties. The Sky Blues need to win by two to go through without the added fuss.
#bbcefl
Image source, Getty ImagesSome big news coming in this evening from elsewhere in the Championship.
Watford have appointed Paulo Pezzolano as their new head coach after Tom Cleverley was sacked on 6 May following a 14th-place finish.
The 42-year-old Uruguayan's last role was at La Liga side Real Valladolid, where he left in November 2024.
Pezzolano has previously achieved promotion as a head coach in Spain, Brazil and his home country.
HT: Sunderland 0-0 Coventry (2-1 agg)
Steve Ogrizovic
Ex-Coventry City goalkeeper on BBC CWR
It's another good first half performance from Coventry.
They've been on the front foot and caused Sunderland many problems. Coventry have just not quite found that moment where they can put it in the back of the net.
At the other end, Sunderland have had their moments and they do look dangerous on the break.
It's been very open, it's the type of game Coventry need because they simply have to score. All the indications of that first half tell me this game won't end goalless.
Sunderland 0-0 Coventry (2-1 agg)
Adam Lanigan
BBC Sport reporter at Stadium of Light
The aggregate scoreline favours Sunderland, and they are probably the happier side to hear that half-time whistle.
But Coventry will be far from despondent. They have dominated the last 15 minutes and possibly should have scored.
Frank Lampard won’t have minded at all seeing the game being played in Sunderland’s final third as that will only increase the nerves around the Stadium of Light.
My half-time advice? Grab a quick breather but don’t go anywhere, folks. This second half could be a belter.
HT: Sunderland 0-0 Coventry (2-1 agg)
Gary Bennett
Ex-Sunderland defender on BBC Radio Newcastle
You've got to say that after that first 45 minutes Coventry will be the happier of the two sides going into the changing room.
They would have expected to come here and be put under a little bit of pressure but they're getting stronger and stronger.
We've only had one or two opportunities worked by Eliezer Mayenda but Coventry have had three or four.
Sunderland 0-0 Coventry (2-1 agg)
Image source, Rex FeaturesAn enthralling half comes to an end but it's still goalless on the night.
As in the first leg, Coventry are enjoying the lion's share of possession and have created a few moments of promise.
And as in the first leg, Sunderland look very dangerous on the break.
It's as you were in of the aggregate score and the Black Cats are heading to Wembley as things stand. A long way to go, though.
Sunderland 0-0 Coventry (2-1 agg)
Steve Ogrizovic
Ex-Coventry City goalkeeper on BBC CWR
Coventry are getting into good positions, they're getting the ball wide and getting good balls into the box.
There's another chance for Jack Rudoni but he's just headed it into the ground and over the bar.
#bbcefl, via WhatsApp on 03301231826 or text 81111 (UK only, standard message rates apply)
Breathless stuff this. Atmosphere at SOL is amazing. Coventry growing into the game after the early Sunderland storm. Nerves, excitement, tension, devastation and elation. You can't beat the playoffs can you.
Max
I've just switched over from some very suspect performances on Eurovision. Think I'll switch back.
Tristan
Sunderland 0-0 Coventry (2-1 agg)
We're well into three added minutes at the end of the first half. It's Coventry ending the half on the front foot.
Jack Rudoni manages to lose his marker and gets a header away from Jay Dasilva's cross in from the left but it bounces into the ground and over the bar.
He should hit the target but the ref had spotted an infringement in the build-up so it wouldn't have counted anyway.
Sunderland 0-0 Coventry (2-1 agg)
Coventry work it forward cleverly again but Luke O'Nien stands strong to clear the ball into the box for Sunderland.
The Sky Blues are pushing for an opener, though. Milan van Ewijk's attempted cross is deflected behind for a corner.
Sunderland 0-0 Coventry (2-1 agg)
Steve Ogrizovic
Ex-Coventry City goalkeeper on BBC CWR
Sunderland have done well going forward at times, but what they haven't done is committed men forward as they might have done if this game was level or they were behind, that might just help Coventry.
#bbcefl, via WhatsApp on 03301231826 or text 81111 (UK only, standard message rates apply)
I agree with Gary Bennett (20:33), Sunderland need to press and get a lucky break like they did last week for the second goal.
Danny
David, (20:27) Hardly fair to judge them based on a match where they're both obviously going to be very cagey, with neither side wanting to make the first mistake. Not exactly a true reflection of how they usually play.
Anon
Sunderland 0-0 Coventry (2-1 agg)
Gary Bennett
Ex-Sunderland defender on BBC Radio Newcastle
I tell you what, we're getting away with it. We're riding our luck.
You know he wants to come inside and Jack Rudoni is free.
Frank Lampard will be very pleased. He's come to the Stadium of Light and he's not been put under any pressure. There's no high press and they are in control. They are still in it.
Sunderland 0-0 Coventry (2-1 agg)
Image source, PA MediaA rare moment for the players to catch their breath and take on some fluids as Sunderland keeper Anthony Patterson requires some treatment.
He's back on his feet and okay to continue. On we go.
Sunderland 0-0 Coventry (2-1 agg)
Keeping up?
Tatsuhiro Sakamoto delivers an excellent cross from the right for Coventry and Ephron Mason-Clark does well to nod it back towards the onrushing Jack Rudoni.
Rudoni gets there about six yards out as he collides with Sunderland goalkeeper Anthony Patterson but his poked effort goes narrowly over the bar!
Frantic stuff.
Sunderland 0-0 Coventry (2-1 agg)
Turning into a bit of a ding-dong end-to-end encounter here. Dan Neil's attempted through ball for Sunderland is intercepted. Then Coventry race up the other end but Dan Ballard slides in to win it back.
The hosts race straight on the counter again with Eliezer Mayenda, who cuts inside and gets a shot away with his left foot but it's blocked.
Sunderland 0-0 Coventry (2-1 agg)
Adam Lanigan
BBC Sport reporter at Stadium of Light
Image source, PA MediaAs referees, these high-profile matches are exactly the ones you want as you climb the ladder.
That is probably until the whistle goes.
Here, Andy Madley has had to brandish his yellow card four times already and I’m certain there will be a good few more.
It feels like there’s a flashpoint bubbling every couple of minutes. There’s no VAR of course and he probably wishes he had eyes in the back of his head!
Sunderland 0-0 Coventry (2-1 agg)
Just as we say Sunderland look dangerous when they nick it back, Eliezer Mayenda gets into the box and almost bundles his way through for the Black Cats but Coventry are able to thwart him.
At the other end, Haji Wright swings a cross in for the Sky Blues and it comes to Jack Rudoni at the back stick. He slices it back across the face of goal but Tatsuhiro Sakamoto can't quite get the right side of the ball to divert it on target.
Sunderland 0-0 Coventry (2-1 agg)
Coventry are certainly growing into this game more and more in these past five minutes. They're seeing a lot of the ball and pressing into the final third.
Sunderland always look threatening on the counter, though.
Sunderland 0-0 Coventry (2-1 agg)
Matt Grimes sends the free-kick into the box for Coventry. It's cleared but they recycle it well. It's headed back across goal by Bobby Thomas and Jack Rudoni tries an acrobatic scissor kick from about seven yards out but can't connect.
And then the referee spots a foul by Thomas on the edge of the box and Sunderland are finally able to clear. Thomas goes into the book for the challenge.
Image source, PA Media
Dan Ballard scored in the final seconds of extra time to send Sunderland to the Championship play-off final at Wembley
Sunderland reached the Championship play-off final after Dan Ballard's last-gasp goal in extra time decided their semi-final tie against Coventry City.
Ballard headed in off the underside of the bar in the final seconds of stoppage time to level the match at 1-1 on the night and secure a 3-2 aggregate victory over the Sky Blues.
It was an incredible end to an evening filled with tension at the Stadium of Light after Ephron Mason-Clark had scored in the 76th minute to take the match to extra time.
The Black Cats will now face Sheffield United at Wembley on Saturday, 24 May to decide who plays in the Premier League next season.
In a meeting between the sides who finished fourth and fifth in the regular season, the Wearside club will have the chance to end an eight-year exile from the top flight.
But the Sky Blues will rue a chance which USA forward Haji Wright headed wide in regulation stoppage time that would have booked their spot in the final.
While the Blades had cruised through to Wembley on Monday as they swept aside Bristol City 6-0 on aggregate, this tie always felt in the balance.
Play-off games rarely need extra spice, but this was given it by the Black Cats' decision to bring their advertising hoardings along the sidelines noticeably closer to the pitch.
By doing so, it was a deliberate attempt to negate the Sky Blues' tactic of using the long throws of Dutch right-back Milan van Ewijk to create danger.
His costly mistake in allowing Eliezer Mayenda to grab a late winner in a 2-1 first-leg win for Sunderland had left him in tears, but looking for inspiration to mount a famous comeback, Coventry could turn to head coach Frank Lampard.
He was in charge of the last away side to overturn a first-leg deficit when Derby County defeated Leeds United 4-2 at Elland Road in 2019 to win 4-3 on aggregate.
After surviving a bright Sunderland start in which Mayenda forced a good save out of Ben Wilson, Lampard watched his side grow into the game.
But they spurned crucial chances as Tatsuhiro Sakamoto scuffed an attempt over from six yards, before in-form midfielder Jack Rudoni prodded their best opportunity of the first half over from a similar distance.
Ephron Mason-Clark's second-half goal for Coventry took the play-off semi-final into extra time
The Sky Blues continued to have more of the ball in the second half, but Sunderland had come closer to scoring the decisive goal when right-back Trai Hume had his volley well kept out by Wilson.
Sunderland head coach Regis Le Bris had promised pre-match that his team would not play just to hold the opposition out, but human nature took over as his players dropped deeper.
And they were punished when Van Ewijk overlapped down the right and sent over a cross which had Mason-Clark getting there just before Hume to guide the ball into the bottom corner.
Coventry were on top and almost sealed it but Wright, with the very last touch in normal time, got his header badly wrong from another Sakamoto cross.
Le Bris: Semi-final win was 'absolutely fantastic'
The Black Cats were better in extra time and regained some composure, and Romaine Mundle was only prevented from scoring by a brilliant block from fellow substitute Josh Eccles.
The match still looked destined to be decided by a penalty shootout, even when Sunderland won a corner with the last action of the game.
And from Enzo Le Fee's delivery in the 122nd minute, Ballard sent the red-and-white hordes into ecstasy with a powerful header as Coventry players slumped to the floor in absolute dejection.
The very essence of play-off football in one instant.
Manager: Régis Le Bris
Formation: 4 - 4 - 2
Manager: Frank Lampard
Formation: 4 - 2 - 3 - 1
Manager: Régis Le Bris
Formation: 4 - 4 - 2
Manager: Frank Lampard
Formation: 4 - 2 - 3 - 1
Championship
All competitions
All competitions
All competitions
Sunderland’s 2-1 win the first leg was their first victory against Coventry since February 2007, ending a run of 10 games without a victory against the Sky Blues (D5 L5).
Coventry have won two of their last five away games against Sunderland in all competitions (D3), having won just one of their first 18 visits to the Black Cats (D8 L9).
Sunderland have never lost a home leg in the Football League play-offs, winning seven of their eight games (D1) at Roker Park/Stadium of Light.
Coventry’s 2-1 loss in the first leg was their first ever defeat in the play-offs (W3 D3). They’ve won their two previous away legs (4-1 v Notts County and 1-0 v Middlesbrough), with both of these also being the second leg of the tie.
Sunderland lost their last three home games in the regular Championship season, all by a 1-0 scoreline. They last lost four consecutive home games in all competitions in September 2017, while they’ve never done so without scoring.
Coventry were without a win their final five away games in the regular Championship season (D1 L4), having won four in a row on the road before that.
Wilson Isidor and Eliezer Mayenda were on target for Sunderland in their first leg victory. The last time a Black Cats player scored in both legs of a play-off semi-final was 2003-04, with both Marcus Stewart and Kevin Kyle doing so against Crystal Palace.
Jack Rudoni has been involved in 12 goals in his last 14 appearances for Coventry in all competitions (7 goals, 5 assists), netting their goal in the first leg defeat against Sunderland.
