What Frank Lampard Said After Coventry’s Heartbreaking Championship Play-Off Loss to Sunderland

Coventry City manager Frank Lampard said he was very proud of his players after their painful defeat to Sunderland in the Championship play-off semi-final.

The Sky Blues were knocked out in dramatic fashion at the Stadium of Light. They had gone behind 2-1 on aggregate but managed to level the tie when Ephron Mason-Clark scored calmly in the second half. Coventry controlled most of the game and pushed hard for a winner.

The match went into extra time, and with penalties looking likely, Sunderland defender Dan Ballard scored a last-minute header from a corner. The goal broke Coventry’s hearts and sent Sunderland to Wembley.

After the match, Lampard praised his team’s spirit and performance.

“We came here with absolute bravery to play the way we played,” he said. “They had to concede to us because of how we controlled the game.”

Lampard admitted the result was tough to take, especially for the players.

“I’ve been around a lot longer, so I can handle it a bit more, but I really feel for the lads – they didn’t deserve that,” he added. “Congratulations to Sunderland, but we were the better team.”

Coventry will now look ahead to next season, hoping to build on the progress made under Lampard.