Frank Lampard says now is not the time to get down about his Coventry side’s Championship play-off semi-final first leg defeat to Sunderland.
The Sky Blues – who finished fifth, seven points behind their opponents during the regular season – dominated the ball at the Coventry Building Society Arena on Friday night, but were held at arm’s length for long spells by Regis Le Bris’ defensively resolute team.
And though Jack Rudoni cancelled out Wilson Isidor’s opener within two minutes of it hitting the back of the net, Milan van Ewijk’s blind backpass gifted Eliezer Mayenda the winner, which puts the Black Cats in the driving seat ahead of Tuesday’s second leg at the Stadium of Light, which is live on Sky Sports.
Highlights of the Sky Bet Championship play-off semi-final 1st leg match between Coventry City and Sunderland.
“It was a good performance from the team,” he said. “We pushed and pushed, and dominated possession of the ball. We are unfortunate to be one behind going into the second leg.
“We played them here six, seven weeks ago or so and, with the way we’ve been playing, I understand it as a coach, you want to come out and negate the spaces that we want, so we controlled a lot of it.
“I couldn’t complain with the players in terms of the low block. You can say move it quicker, do this, do that. It’s not easy. It’s not easy against that.
Tuesday 13th May 7:30pm
Kick off 8:00pm
“And they defended their box really well. Sometimes you just say well done to the opposition.
“If you’ve got eight bodies in the box and you’re crossing it, it’s hard. We defended well and on another day things go for you over the course of 90 minutes. They didn’t quite go for us tonight.
“Will the game look like this on Tuesday? I’m not sure. So certainly not time for us to get too down about it.”
On Van Ewijk’s error, which left the Dutch defender in tears after the final whistle, he said: “We don’t have to talk about that now. He’s been brilliant for us.”
Sunderland take a late lead after a huge mistake late on from Coventry.
Lampard was reminded of the 2018/19 season, when his Derby side lost 1-0 to Leeds in the Championship play-off semi-final first leg at Pride Park, but scored four second-half goals in a thrilling second leg to win 4-3 on aggregate.
However, he did not want to be drawn on comparisons.
“It’s nothing to do with it because this is another group of players that we’ve got,” he added.
“They’re another group of players. This is a different game. I understand your point, but it’s nothing to do with it. That’s the past.
“It’ll be a tough game for us, but it’s obviously still very, very close.
“We go again Tuesday. Simple.”
Morrison: Coventry have to go into second leg confident
Clinton Morrison on Sky Sports Football:
“They’re still in this. They dominated possession. They didn’t create as much as they wanted, but the game will open up at the Stadium of Light and they’ve just go to go there full of confidence.
“What they’ve got there is a manager who knows what he’s talking about. He’ll settle them down, relax, and he won’t be critical of them.
“But he does have to pick up Van Ewijk because he was in tears at the end. Everyone makes mistakes but he’s got to recover and go again.”
Davies: Both goals were so avoidable
Curtis Davies on Sky Sports Football:
“The difference with the Derby scenario is that Leeds came and comprehensively beat Derby [in the first leg] and you think it will be the same in the second. They beat us three times that season, and you think going to Elland Road will be an uphill task.
“Whereas tonight his team has dominated, and in my opinion both goals are so avoidable. For Van Ewijk it’s about his character and what he shows in training. If he makes one mistake early in the next game he could go under.”
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