Jack Rudoni created Coventry's first goal and scored their second
Managerless Coventry City came from two goals down to snatch a draw at Championship leaders Sunderland in an entertaining game at the Stadium of Light.
Wilson Isidor's delightful volley opened the scoring, before defender Dennis Cirkin fired home after a brilliant run from his own half, as the Sky Blues initially struggled in their first match since the sacking of long-serving boss Mark Robins.
But Haji Wright gave Coventry hope by drilling in a low finish to make it 2-1, before Jack Rudoni stunned the hosts with a late header.
The draw means that Sunderland remain two points clear at the top of the league table, while Coventry still sit 17th, but are now one point above the relegation zone.
- Published8 November
- Published8 November
- Published7 November
A cagey start to the match saw few efforts on target, but visiting goalkeeper Bradley Collins was alert enough to get two hands on the ball after 17-year-old Black Cats midfielder Chris Rigg volleyed at goal.
Regis Le Bris' side then found their breakthrough following a neat passing move, as Romaine Mundle's driven cutback was clinically placed into the top corner by Isidor.
The striker - whose previous goal was also a superb volley in a win over Oxford - looked inspired by recent acrobatics of Erling Haaland as he lifted his foot up high and cushioned the ball away from Collins' dive.
The Sky Blues rallied to respond and could have levelled the match when Rudoni's low shot from the edge of the area was tipped away by home keeper Simon Moore.
But before they could really establish a foothold in the game, Cirkin raced onto the ball from just outside his own penalty area, drove at backpedalling defenders, and unleashed an unstoppable strike.
Coventry's interim manager Rhys Carr admitted that he was shocked by Robins' departure before the match, and the ease at which Sunderland carved his team open in the first half would have been an unpleasant surprise.
Yet after the break they showed the competitiveness that so often made the team a force under Robins, as Wright had a shot blocked on the line, before netting from close range moments later.
The pressure was unrelenting as Wright floated a dipping effort over the bar and Moore pushed away a strike from substitute forward Norman Bassette.
But it was fellow substitute Tatsuhiro Sakamoto who unlocked the Black Cats rearguard with an expert cross and Rudoni overpowered their defence with his header as Sunderland dropped points in a home league game for just the second time this season.
Sunderland scored two stunning goals in a first half in which Coventry did not have a shot on target, but the visitors were a completely different side after the break
Sky Blues 'deserved' their point - reaction
Sunderland manager Regis Le Bris told BBC Radio Newcastle:
"It was a good first half. We started well with our strength and our quality at home.
"We created many opportunities to score with two fantastic goals. The second half was totally different because we were not able to keep the ball under pressure.
"I can be disappointed and I think the players are disappointed too.
"We need to solve other problems that it wasn't possible to do today. We needed to win that game."
Coventry City interim manager Rhys Carr told BBC CWR:
"We spoke a lot about their character, their belief, about them sticking together and that is exactly what they did and they got what they deserved.
"With the group of players we have got, we always feel like we are in games."
On the impact of Mark Robins' sacking:
"You have your time to process it, but then there is another game of football.
"If we come here feeling sorry for ourselves, we will end up feeling sorry for ourselves.
"We certainly didn't want to feel like that at the end of the game and we don't now because of the character they showed."
