Sunderland 1-1 Coventry City: Late Viktor Gyokeres strike earns Sky Blues share of points

Sweden international Viktor Gyokeres scored 17 goals in 45 league appearances for Coventry City last season

A superb late equaliser from Viktor Gyokeres earned Coventry City a deserved point at promoted Sunderland.

The Black Cats took an early lead when Jack Clarke headed home Lynden Gooch's deep delivery at the back post.

The away side grew into the match and Jonathan Panzo's ferocious 30-yard strike was brilliantly turned on to the crossbar by Sunderland goalkeeper Anthony Patterson before Matt Godden fired an excellent chance wide after the break.

Coventry continued to press though and were ultimately rewarded when Gyokeres picked the ball up centrally, 25 yards out, came on to his right foot and smashed a wicked strike into the bottom corner.

Sky Blues boss Mark Robins, who was marking his 300th game in charge of the club, will have been pleased with how his side came back in front of a raucous crowd of 40,851 at the Stadium of Light.

Clarke, who joined permanently from Tottenham in the summer after a successful loan spell last season, headed in with Coventry goalkeeper Simon Moore stranded after making the decision to come for Gooch's deep cross and missing it.

The home side could not build on that early goal though and only Patterson's fingertip save from debutant Panzo's long range shot kept them in the lead at the break.

Godden should have levelled when Dan Neil was caught in possession 25 yards from his own goal but swept his shot wide of the post before Ross Stewart saw a decent effort saved by Moore at the other end.

Gyokeres, who scored 17 league goals in 2021-22, got off the mark in this campaign with a fine driven strike as the Sky Blues made their pressure tell with just over five minutes to play.

Alex Neil's men next face a trip to Bristol City on Saturday, while Coventry host Rotherham on Sunday.

Sunderland boss Alex Neil:

"I thought we gave a good account of ourselves. I thought we were organised, and we made it really difficult for them. Let's be honest, we'd be talking about a great result here if it wasn't for one moment of quality.

"We switch off, don't get down the line quick enough and let him turn, but even then, it's a great goal. It's not as if we've made an error and they've had a tap in. The lad's had to turn, dip past two players and bang the ball in the bottom corner. That's the quality of the Championship."

Coventry manager Mark Robins:

"Any point in the Championship is a good point. It's a tough place to come, especially in the circumstances with it being their first game back in the Championship after four years away.

"I'll take a point and move on. The change we made gave us a leg up and gave us a bit of impetus in the game. We added a bit of pace and managed to create one or two things, then we got the goal through Vik. Then we looked like we could build that pressure to go on and get another one."