MILAN van Ewijk’s short backpass proved costly as Coventry City suffered a late 2-1 defeat against Sunderland in the first leg of their play-off semi-final.
The game looked set to finish all sqaure until Eliezer Mayenda pounced on van Ewijk’s error to round Ben Wilson and put Sunderland ahead with two minutes left to play.
That came after a trademark Jack Rudoni header drew City level just two minutes after Wilson Isidor’s breakaway goal put the visitors ahead at the Coventry Building Society Arena.
Defeat for Coventry saw Sunderland claim their first away win against the Sky Blues since April 1985 – more than 40 years ago.
City squandered the first real opening of the game as Ben Sheaf sliced a shot well wide of the target after the ball fell kindly to the midfielder in the box following a long throw from the right.
Sunderland responded with a chance of their own as Mayenda broke from inside his own half to the edge of the Coventry penalty area before dragging a shot wide of the target from 20-yards out.
The teams continued to trade chances as Brandon Thomas-Asante cut the ball back to Sheaf in the box who checked inside of his marker only to his goalbound effort blocked by Daniel Ballard.
Sakomoto then delivered a dangerous cross from the right which Anthony Patterson could only push behind for a corner under pressure from two Coventry players.
The Sky Blues created a chance early in the second half as Jay Dasilva delivered a cross from the left and Thomas-Asante headed the ball over the bar from eight-yards out.
City tried their luck again just past the hour mark as Jack Rudoni’s low effort on the turn took a deflection on its way past the post.
Sunderland created a chance of their own at the other end as Jobe Bellingham saw his shot inadvertently blocked by a teammate before Coventry scrambled the ball behind.
And the visitors broke the deadlock on 68 minutes when Enzo Le Fee played in Isidor down the left channel who drove into the box and fired an emphatic shot into the bottom right corner when one-on-one with Wilson.
However, City drew level two minutes later when van Ewijk delivered a cross from the right and Rudoni planted a bullet header past Patterson from six-yards out.
Sunderland reclaimed the lead two minutes from time when Mayenda pounced on van Ewijk’s weak backpass before cooly rounding Wilson and finishing into an empty net.
And Mayenda had a chance to extend Sunderland’s lead soon after only for Wilson to stay tall and make a crucial save at his near post.
The Sky Blues pushed for a late equaliser with the best chance falling to substitute Jamie Allen who sent an acrobatic effort over the crossbar.
However, City could not find a leveller in six minutes of injury time meaning the Sky Blues head into the second leg needing to overturn a one-goal deficit.
