Latest news with #EphronMasonClark
BBC News
14-05-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Lampard 'proud' despite Coventry heartbreak
Coventry City head coach Frank Lampard said he was "proud" despite watching his side suffer desperate play-off Ballard's header in the final minute of injury time in extra time took Sunderland to Wembley for the Championship play-off final against Sheffield came after the Sky Blues had taken tie to extra time thanks to Ephron Mason-Clark's goal, levelling the game at 2-2 on aggregate."My biggest emotion is pride at how we played over the two games," Lampard said."Congratulations to Sunderland - they go through but we were the better team over the two games." 2023, 2024 and now 2025 It is a becoming a familiar feeling, with Coventry suffering season-defining disappointment for the third year in a 2023, they lost in a penalty shootout to Luton Town in the play-off final at Wembley as they chased Premier League football for the first time since last year, they staged one of the greatest comebacks in FA Cup history when they came from 3-0 down to take Manchester United to extra Torp looked to have won that game in the last seconds only to be denied by the narrowest of offside calls by VAR against team-mate Haji Wright, with United going on to win on penalties shortly Sunderland's last-gasp salvage job can be added to that list as, for all of Coventry's fine play over the two legs, the Black Cats head to the play-off final."I've watched some of those moments, I watched the play-off final and certainly the semi-final," said Lampard."I felt for the club from the outside and now I work for the club, I particularly feel for it."But that is the harsh world of football, I guess." 'We want to compete again' When the dust settles on this disappointment, Lampard will have to take stock of the great progress Coventry have made on his arrived in November to replace Mark Robins, with the Sky Blues struggling at 17th in the table, but an impressive haul of 52 points from 29 games saw them finish in the challenge will be to regroup and regather over the summer to launch another promotion effort in an attempt to end their quarter-of-a-century wait for a Premier League return."The players have been really good at working hard," he said."They have taken things on and been very together, finding different ways to win when we've had injuries."We want to get better, we want to compete again next year. "We want this squad to be stronger. Do we need to be, to maybe have more cover, more competitions in areas? I think so, yes."Those conversations can happen once the dust settles."
New York Times
13-05-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
Sunderland to face Sheffield United in Championship play-off final after Dan Ballard extra-time goal against Coventry City
Sunderland will play in the Championship play-off final after an extra-time goal from Dan Ballard secured a dramatic victory over Coventry City. After entering extra-time with the aggregate score tied at 1-1, and the game heading to a penalty shootout, Ballard's 122nd-minute header earned Sunderland a 1-1 draw on the night, and a 2-1 victory on aggregate. They will meet Sheffield United in the Championship play-off final at Wembley on May 24, where the winner will earn promotion to the Premier League. There are no words for this moment. — Sunderland AFC (@SunderlandAFC) May 13, 2025 Sunderland beat Coventry in the first leg, with striker Eliezer Mayenda capitalizing on a Milan van Ewijk mistake late on to secure the 2-1 victory for the away side. A 76th-minute goal from Ephron Mason-Clark was enough to level the tie in the second leg and send the game to extra time. It looked as if neither side would be able to find a winner in extra time with substitute Romaine Mundle coming closest with a low driven shot, forcing a save from Coventry goalkeeper Ben Wilson. Advertisement However, Sunderland won a corner in stoppage time of the second half of extra time, and Ballard found some space in the penalty area and headed the ball in off the crossbar. Ballard, a standout in both legs, told Sky Sports that his goal is what 'dreams are made of.' The former Arsenal youth academy player said: 'It's what dreams are made of, really. The fans today were absolutely incredible. It was just feeling like it wasn't going to be our day, and all the lads were desperate to try and give them something to celebrate. 'What a dramatic finale and stuff dreams are made of. I was just so determined. I can't remember what happened, it just happened like that. Some feeling that.' Sheffield United booked their place in the final after their 3-0 semi-final second-leg victory over Bristol City on Monday.
Daily Mail
13-05-2025
- Sport
- Daily Mail
Sunderland break Frank Lampard's heart with stunning 123rd MINUTE winner to beat Coventry and reach the Championship play-off final
At least this saves Frank Lampard a two grand bar bill. Saying that, the Coventry boss could do with a drink after Sunderland 's last-gasp winner. It was following Derby's 4-3 aggregate win over Leeds at this stage six years ago that he put his credit card behind the bar during an impromptu pub stop. His team then lost in the final to Aston Villa. This time, though, there will be no final. That will be contested by Sunderland and Sheffield United after Dan Ballard headed a 123rd-minute goal that nearly sent the Stadium of Light roof into the North Sea. We can only hope the Wembley spectacle is better the majority of this second leg, though. Not that Sunderland will complain about the aesthetics of their bumpy passage to the capital. We've seen more of the Black Cats on Netflix than Match of the Day in recent years. And reruns of Sunderland 'Til I Die would have certainly made better viewing than this game, at least until the final act. Before that, the atmosphere did not get the contest it deserved. It was not until Ephron Mason-Clark's 76th-minute volleyed goal, from Milan Van Ewijk's centre, that we had some composure in front of the posts. Before that, they'd swiped high and wide. Sunderland had moved their advertising boards closer to the pitch to reduce the range of Van Ewijk's long throw-ins. He might have had his hands tied, but his feet were free to do their worst and his delivery was the best of the evening. That forced extra-time and it looked like we were heading for penalties before Ballard's dramatic intervention. Sunderland are on their way to Wembley!! 🤩 — Sky Sports Football (@SkyFootball) May 13, 2025 The Stadium of Light has always done the big nights well. There just have not been enough of them of late. Since relegation from the Premier League in 2017, this was undoubtedly the biggest. Their only other Championship play-off semi-final second leg was an away defeat at Luton two years ago. This time, 46,000 had a stage to influence and intimidate, and very few stadiums do tribal like this one. The pitchside flamethrowers probably cooled those in the stands in the seconds before kick-off, such was the fury with which they welcomed their own and scorched the opposition. It felt like the uncorking of eight years of frustration. 'Wise Men Say' was the song that sent them into battle, and the wise men in these parts were saying this tie was far from over, despite Sunderland's first-leg advantage. They have seen how those documentaries can play out. What was most definitely unwise was Wilson Isidor's decision to dive when attempting to burst clear on the edge of Coventry's penalty area early in the game. Too early to be carrying a yellow card in the heat of this occasion. And the occasion, it seemed, was impacting the quality on the pitch. In truth, there was no quality. A pilot episode for the Premier League this was not. Mason-Clark did show a little adventure when he danced infield from the left, but it led down a blind alley and his eventual shot was nothing more than catching practice for Anthony Patterson. At the other end, Eliezer Mayenda did a jig of his own past a couple of Sky Blue jerseys but, likewise, it only led to a dark place. Indeed, there was little illumination in a first half hour of heavy touches and light heads. Then, Coventry found some composure, at least until they got in front of goal. The visitors finished the first half much the stronger and should have led when first Tatsuhiro Sakamoto and then Jack Rudoni prodded over the bar from inside the six-yard area. Two good chances, two bad finishes. For Sunderland, there was no control or conviction to anything they did. They looked like a side who had lost their last five matches of the regular season. Enzo Le Fee, the Roma loanee who is good enough for the Premier League, was too peripheral. Isolated on the left, he had a ringside seat but was watching others throw the punches. Not that any were landing. Come half-time, the teams had traded one shot on target. From noisy to nervy, the mood had changed entering the second half. Forty-five minutes waiting for the bell is hardly an enticing prospect. Belatedly, after the hour, they dragged themselves from the ropes and gloved up. Full-back Trai Hume sent a spectacular volley goalwards and Ben Wilson somehow smuggled the ball around the post. It was a stunning effort hardly in keeping with what had gone before. Jobe Bellingham had done his best impression of his brother for too much of the first half, the version who has ghosted through too many Real Madrid matches of late. Then, when his team needed him, the younger sibling stepped up. He quite literally stepped up when jumping to his feet after a goalmouth melee and going forehead to forehead with goalkeeper Wilson. The atmosphere needed that, stoking those home flames in danger of petering out. The confrontation brought a roar of approval from the red and white masses. As did every clearance from Dan Ballard and Luke O'Nien. Each time, it felt like one kick closer to Wembley. But then, the kick in the crotch. With 14 minutes left on the clock, Coventry right back Van Ewijk hoisted a cross from the right and Mason-Clark stole in to cushion the ball into the bottom corner. Lampard celebrated as if his side had won, for that was the relief of drawing parity in a tie that had felt as if it was slipping away. It was a feeling that would not last.
