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Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
The key moments that shaped Sunderland's season - and why they played out as they did
SUNDERLAND end their season in the Championship play-off final tomorrow as they take on Sheffield United at Wembley looking to claim a place in the Premier League. What were the ten key moments that have taken the Black Cats to the brink of a return to the top-flight? APPOINTING REGIS LE BRIS Regis Le Bris speaks at his introductory press conference as Sunderland head coach (Image: The Northern Echo) Ultimately, the key decision Sunderland made this season was their first one, way back in June. Crucially, they got it right. The search for a new head coach had effectively begun last February, when Michael Beale was dismissed, but for a long time, it looked as though the Black Cats hierarchy, led by Kristjaan Speakman, were flailing around aimlessly. Fears increased when a move for Will Still broke down, and the anxiety within the fanbase reached fever pitch when Sunderland announced the appointment of Le Bris, an unknown Frenchman who had been relegated with Lorient in the previous season. Eleven months on, and the decision to install Le Bris looks like a masterstroke. Tactically astute, reassuringly level-headed and decisive when it comes to the big calls, Sunderland's head coach has been a huge success no matter what happens tomorrow. SIGNING WILSON ISIDOR Sunderland striker Wilson Isidor (Image: Ian Horrocks) As well as fretting about Le Bris' credentials, Sunderland supporters also spent much of the summer panicking about the lack of a proven goalscorer. A failure to sign a centre-forward in a succession of transfer windows had become a long-running joke, so the arrival of Wilson Isidor went somewhat under the radar. That was largely because Isidor was initially regarded as a left-sided attacker, who could perhaps play through the middle in an emergency. Instead, he found himself up front at an early stage of the campaign and has remained there ever since. Signed on a permanent basis in January, when a clause in his initial loan move from Zenit St Petersburg was triggered, the 24-year-old has scored an impressive 12 league goals in his first season on Wearside. MAKING A STRONG START Luke O'Nien scored against Cardiff on the opening day of the season (Image: Ian Horrocks) After the catastrophic end to last season, it felt imperative that Sunderland hit the ground running at the start of the current campaign. Removing the hangover from the disastrous spell under the caretaker control of Mike Dodds was essential, and Le Bris' new-look side duly delivered. Sunderland won their opening game of the season at Cardiff City, thanks to goals from Luke O'Nien and the soon-to-be-departed Jack Clarke, and followed up with a four-goal home thumping of Sheffield Wednesday. When they beat a Burnley side being hotly tipped for promotion in their next home game, thanks to a goal from Romaine Mundle, Sunderland were up and running at the top of the table. MESLIER'S MELTDOWN Illan Meslier was left crestfallen after his error at the Stadium of Light (Image: PA) Every season contains a couple of 'Can you believe that really happened' moments – few, though, have featured an incident like the one that played out in the final seconds of last October's home game with Leeds United. Trailing 2-1 as the game headed into injury time, Sunderland looked destined to suffer what would have been their first home defeat of the season. But when Alan Browne's deflected effort spun towards Illan Meslier, the Leeds goalkeeper somehow misread the flight of the ball and allowed it to bounce over his arms and into the net. It was a remarkable moment, and a point at which Sunderland fans really began to believe this might just be their season. AN AUTUMN WOBBLE Jobe Bellingham was sent off during Sunderland's draw at QPR (Image: Ian Horrocks) When Sunderland headed to Loftus Road in early November, they were still sitting in top spot. However, with Jobe Bellingham seeing red, a goalless draw with QPR sparked a run of five successive draws that was then followed by a 1-0 defeat to Sheffield United at Bramall Lane. Performances were hardly disastrous, but with Leeds United, Burnley and Sheffield United all stringing together lengthy winning runs, the Black Cats had nevertheless dropped to fourth position by the time they returned to winning ways against Stoke at the start of December. They would flirt with the top three positions for the next few months, but they remained in fourth spot for the whole of the rest of the campaign. SIGNING ENZO LE FEE Enzo Le Fee joined Sunderland on loan from Roma (Image: Ian Horrocks) With promotion a definite possibility, would Sunderland be bold in the January transfer window? The answer arrived when a loan deal was announced for Enzo Le Fee. Le Fee might have had a tough first half of the season at Roma, but he was still a £20m midfielder who had been linked with Arsenal and Liverpool in the couple of seasons before heading to Serie A. His previous relationship with Le Bris, who he had played under at Lorient, was a key factor in the 25-year-old agreeing to move to Wearside and play in the Championship, but the signing was nevertheless a statement of intent. That Speakman and Kyril Louis-Dreyfus were willing to commit to a permanent deal in the event of promotion confirmed the club were happy to be setting their sights high. RIVERSIDE DRAMA Enzo Le Fee celebrates after Sunderland's dramatic late winner at Middlesbrough (Image: Ian Horrocks) The best game of the season? Prior to the play-offs, it was surely the see-sawing 3-2 win over promotion rivals Middlesbrough at the Riverside in early February. Having fallen behind to an early goal from Delano Burgzorg, Sunderland's players quickly regained their composure and took the lead as Dan Neil and Isidor scored either side of half-time. Boro looked to have claimed a point when Hayden Hackney fired home from close range, but after some Le Fee magic, Ryan Giles put the ball through his own net to hand Sunderland all three points. The post-match celebrations in front of a jubilant away end will live long in the memory, with Isidor at centre-stage as he stuck his shirt on the corner flag before hoisting it aloft. ISIDOR'S UPS AND DOWNS Wilson Isidor fails to score from the spot against Burnley (Image: Ian Horrocks) Speaking of Isidor, the French forward's personal fortunes fluctuated wildly in the second half of the season. The low point was the goalless draw at Turf Moor in January, when Isidor had two second-half penalties saved by James Trafford. That game actually came in the middle of a purple patch though, with Isidor scoring seven goals in the space of 11 matches between Boxing Day and mid-February. After opening the scoring at Leeds in February, however, Isidor went 13 games without finding the net before the drought was broken in the first leg of the play-off semi-final. As a result, his starting spot at Wembley is far from guaranteed. THE RUN-IN DEBATE Regis Le Bris rested players during Sunderland's run-in (Image: Ian Horrocks) Fitness or form? The debate raged throughout the final month of the season as Sunderland found themselves in no-man's land in the play-off places – too far away from the top two for automatic promotion to be a possibility, too far clear of sixth position for their results to matter. Some fans argued that carrying momentum into the play-offs was crucial, and were alarmed when Le Bris started making a host of changes from early April onwards. The Sunderland boss was more concerned about keeping his players fit and fresh though, and was adamant their sharpness would return once the play-offs began. His side's performance in the first leg of the semi-final at Coventry's CBS Arena proved he had been correct. Sunderland's players were on it from the word go as they claimed a 2-1 first-leg lead. DAN'S LAST-GASP DRAMA Dan Ballard scores the extra-time goal that took Sunderland to Wembley (Image: Ian Horrocks) Defending a one-goal advantage, Sunderland started the second leg of their play-off semi-final as strong favourites. However, while sitting back and looking to break in a 4-4-2 formation had worked in the first leg in the east Midlands, it left the Black Cats vulnerable at the Stadium of Light. Sure enough, Ephron Mason-Clark fired Coventry level with 14 minutes remaining, and a penalty shoot-out looked inevitable when the clock ticked into the final minute of stoppage time in extra-time. Cue Le Fee swinging in a corner, and Dan Ballard rising at the front post to crash home a header off the underside of the crossbar. The greatest ever moment at the Stadium of Light? It's hard to think of a better one.
Scottish Sun
13-05-2025
- Sport
- Scottish Sun
Sky Sports leave fans ‘thinking they're hallucinating' after bizarre gaffe during Sunderland vs Coventry play-off
FOOTBALL fans were left baffled when a glitch on Sky Sports altered the score of the Championship play-off semi-final between Sunderland and Coventry. With the score 0-0 (2-1 to Sunderland on aggregate) just 18 minutes into the match, the main graphic on the screen briefly changed. 2 Football fans noticed a glitch on the scoreboard during Sky's coverage of Sunderland vs Coventry Credit: Sky Sports 2 The score showed 2-1 to Coventry (3-3 on aggregate) when in reality the score was 0-0 Credit: Sky Sports Instead, the scoreboard indicated that it was 2-1 to Coventry on the night and 3-3 on aggregate. Some fans were quick to pick up on the glitch and took to social media to comment. One person wrote: "Did anyone elses Sky Sports glitch out there and display the score as 2-1 Cov and 3-3 agg?" Another commented: "Anyone else see that score change in the Sunderland-Coventry game on Sky Sports? I thought I was hallucinating." READ MORE IN FOOTBALL CANARIES CULL Norwich free FOURTEEN players including Euro 2024 ace after Wilshere decision A third said: "Guys did Sky Sports just have the scoreline as Sun 1-2 Cov (3-3) and then changed it back to the pre-game score??? Am I bugging??" While another joked: "Thought I had gone mad, but apparently Sky Sports have spoilers." Sunderland had the advantage going into the semi-final second-leg at the Stadium of Light thanks to goals from Wilson Isidor and Eliezer Mayenda. Jack Rudoni got on the scoresheet for Coventry to keep the Sky Blues in it. CASINO SPECIAL - BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITS Sunderland went to drastic measures to stop Coventry's secret weapon ahead of the second leg. The Black Cats allegedly moved the advertising boards surrounding the pitch closer to the sidelines to prevent Coventry's long throw-in tactic.
The Irish Sun
13-05-2025
- Sport
- The Irish Sun
Sky Sports leave fans ‘thinking they're hallucinating' after bizarre gaffe during Sunderland vs Coventry play-off
FOOTBALL fans were left baffled when a glitch on Sky Sports altered the score of the Championship play-off semi-final between Sunderland and Coventry. With the score 0-0 (2-1 to Advertisement 2 Football fans noticed a glitch on the scoreboard during Sky's coverage of Sunderland vs Coventry Credit: Sky Sports 2 The score showed 2-1 to Coventry (3-3 on aggregate) when in reality the score was 0-0 Credit: Sky Sports Instead, the scoreboard indicated that it was 2-1 to Some fans were quick to pick up on the glitch and took to social media to comment. One person wrote: "Did anyone elses Sky Sports glitch out there and display the score as 2-1 Cov and 3-3 agg?" Another commented: "Anyone else see that score change in the Sunderland-Coventry game on Sky Sports? I thought I was hallucinating." Advertisement READ MORE IN FOOTBALL A third said: "Guys did Sky Sports just have the scoreline as Sun 1-2 Cov (3-3) and then changed it back to the pre-game score??? Am I bugging??" While another joked: "Thought I had gone mad, but apparently Sky Sports have spoilers." Sunderland had the advantage going into the semi-final second-leg at the Stadium of Light thanks to goals from Wilson Isidor and Eliezer Mayenda. Jack Rudoni got on the scoresheet for Coventry to keep the Sky Blues in it. Advertisement Most read in Championship Latest CASINO SPECIAL - BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITS Sunderland The Black Cats allegedly moved the advertising boards surrounding the pitch closer to the sidelines to prevent Coventry's long throw-in tactic. Frank Lampard shows his disappointment after Coventry defeat to Leeds
Yahoo
13-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Sunderland spark mind games with Coventry in bid to stop long throws
Sunderland have begun the early mind games ahead of their Championship play-off match against Coventry tonight, with ground staff moving the advertising boards to combat the Sky Blues' long throw-in tactics. The two clubs meet for the second leg of their play-off semi-final at the Stadium of Light, with the Black Cats leading 2-1 after goals from Wilson Isidor and Eliezer Mayenda. The winner of the tie will face Sheffield United in the final. And ahead of the game, Sunderland's ground staff have implemented some changes to the pitch to combat Coventry's long throws, which have been fruitful for the club throughout the season. 'Sunderland have moved their pitchside LED boards in by two metres in a bid to stop Coventry's long throws tonight,' said Sky Sports reporter Keith Downie in a post on X. 'Defender Milan van Ewick launches his throws into the danger area so ground staff spent yesterday applying some tactics of their own ahead of tonight's play-off second leg,' he added. According to Downie, the Sky Blues 'have scored most headers and most goals from crosses in the EFL this season'. Coventry have two players in the league's top scoring charts, with Haji Wright and Jack Rudoni – who scored the equaliser in the first leg – having scored 12 and 10 respectively. And Frank Lampard's side will need to overturn a one-goal deficit at the Stadium of Light if they are to progress, with the former Chelsea player and manager emphasising that anything is possible in a message to his squad ahead of the second leg. The winner of the tie will face Chris Wilder's Sheffield United side in the final at Wembley on 24 May, after the Blades beat Bristol City 3-0 home and away to secure a dominant 6-0 aggregate win over the Robins.
Daily Mail
13-05-2025
- Sport
- Daily Mail
Wilson Isidor, Eliezer Mayenda and Jack Rudoni to each have a shot on target tonight BOOSTED to 5/1 with Sky Bet
In addition to the Price Boosts outlined in an earlier article - Sky Bet are offering a Featured Price Boost for Sunderland vs Coventry City at the Stadium of Light tonight. The boost requires Wilson Isidor, Eliezer Mayenda and Jack Rudoni to each have one or more shots on target. The odds for that particular bet have been enhanced from 3/1 to 5/1. Wilson Isidor, Eliezer Mayenda and Jack Rudoni to each have a shot on target tonight NOW 5/1 Each player scored in the first leg and have combined for nine shots on target over their last two Championship appearances. It hasn't been just their recent form that has impressed - with the trio netting 32 goals between them in the Championship this campaign. Additionally, it is worth mentioning that Isidor and Rudoni also found the back of the net when these two sides met at the Stadium of Light earlier this season - a game that resulted in a 2-2 draw. Wilson Isidor, Eliezer Mayenda and Jack Rudoni to each have 1+ shots on target WAS 3/1 NOW 5/1
