Wright scores 96th-minute winner for Coventry against Oxford United
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Wright & Van Ewijk had netted in first half for Sky Blues
Brown and Harris scored for Oxford
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FT: Coventry 3-2 Oxford United
It may take a while for the adrenalin to wear off after that one!
Coventry win it in the 96th minute!
Hope you've enjoyed it. Join us tomorrow for more from the EFL.
FT: Coventry 3-2 Oxford United
We've also had the opening game of the new Premier League season this evening.
Find out what's been happening at Old Trafford.
FT: Coventry 3-2 Oxford United
Coventry manager Mark Robins speaking to Sky Sports:
"It was a really tough game, Oxford play a really good brand of football.
"We got on the front foot from the start of the game and we followed through.
"We had some really good possession and created some great openings.
"Some of the football we played was scintillating."
FT: Coventry 3-2 Oxford United
Well that has certainly set the standard for the second weekend of the season.
Three early games to enjoy with us tomorrow lunchtime.
Derby host Middlesbrough, Luton travel to Portsmouth and Leeds make the trip to West Brom.
We'll also be across the seven games at 3pm.
And then Sunderland v Sheffield Wednesday ends round two on Sunday at midday.
FT: Coventry 3-2 Oxford United
Image source, Rex FeaturesCoventry bounce back from an opening day defeat with an excellent performance.
They were the dominant side and created plenty of chances - 26 shots on goal in fact.
Haji Wright got their opening goal but Ciaron Brown quickly equalised for Oxford.
Milan van Ewijk, who was superb all night, scored City's second before the break.
Oxford equalised again as Mark Harris bundled the ball in after half-time.
And just when it looked like the Sky Blues would be denied, Wright struck to send the CBS Arena wild and get their new campaign up and running.
FT: Coventry 3-2 Oxford United
Rob Gurney
BBC Radio CWR Sport
Full credit to Oxford for their efforts and resilience.
The best teams find a way of winning.
What a game.
FT: Coventry 3-2 Oxford United
Image source, Rex FeaturesMy days what a superb game!
Coventry pressed so hard for that winner but a trio of saves from Oxford keeper Jamie Cumming looked to have earned them a point.
It only takes one error though and Will Vaulks' misplaced pass meant all United's defending was all for naught at Haji Wright pounced to score the winner.
FT: Coventry 3-2 Oxford United
Nathan Cooper
BBC Radio Oxford commentator
The Oxford fans still there applauding their team.
It is quite a long time since Oxford nearly dug in for points like this, they will be gutted but put in a good second half performance that they will take a lot of positives from.
FT: Coventry 3-2 Oxford United
Steve Ogrizovic
Ex-Coventry City goalkeeper on BBC CWR
What a game, what a performance.
There were plenty of opportunities for us up front, I cannot believe we did not score more, but Oxford kept pegging us back.
Coventry 3-2 Oxford United
Image source, Rex FeaturesOxford have a final free-kick but Haji Wright is able to win a foul.
Coventry then on the break with a chance to make it four but Ephron Mason-Clark's shot it blocked over the bar.
And that's it! The Sky Blues have done it.
Coventry 3-2 Oxford United
Steve Ogrizovic
Ex-Coventry City goalkeeper on BBC CWR
Oxford contribute to their own downfall, but the Sky Blues will not care one bit.
They needed a slice of luck, Haji Wright gobbled up the opportunity very well, taking a couple of extra touches to get around the goalkeeper first.
Calm and composed when he went through then, I had no doubt he was going to score there, slid into the empty net.
Haji Wright
Image source, Rex FeaturesA long ball forward for Oxford forces Oliver Dovin to put it out for a throw in.
Blessed field position for United.
They try and keep position in the middle of the park and then Will Vaulks overhits and misplaces a pass to his backline.
It slips into space and Haji Wright is through on goal!
He draws the goalkeeper, slips it to his left and with the goalkeeper on the floor, slides home with his left foot!
Has he just won it for Coventry?!
Coventry 2-2 Oxford United
Rob Gurney
BBC Radio CWR Sport
The Oxford fans are the noisiest at the moment.
Coventry 2-2 Oxford United
Josh Eccles from a long way out for Coventry but this time it's an easy save for Jamie Cumming from a low shot.
Coventry 2-2 Oxford United
It could be a long seven minutes for Oxford.
A ball down their left is crossed over by Milan van Ewijk and needs turning behind for a corner.
A flicked header concedes another set piece.
But the second corner is easily turned away.
Coventry 2-2 Oxford United
Still PLENTY of time for a winner!
Image source, Getty ImagesCoventry 2-2 Oxford United
Oh another save from Jamie Cumming for Oxford!
A swerving effort from Luis Binks towards the left post this time is again well beaten away.
Coventry 2-2 Oxford United
Coventry just trying to up the ante again.
They have it on the left and it's slid in to Haji Wright.
He shoots right-footed for the bottom-right corner but Jamie Cumming makes a superb diving save.
The follow-up is then well kept out at the near post.
Very sharp goalkeeping.
Coventry 2-2 Oxford United
Kasey Palmer plays a superb no-look pass into the area and he finds Haji Wright on the left side.
Wright skips around a defender but can't get the ball properly out of his feet for a clean strike and it's blocked for a corner.
Oxford clear the set piece.
Coventry 2-2 Oxford United
Steve Ogrizovic
Ex-Coventry City goalkeeper on BBC CWR
We have had some decent chances but we have not been as free flowing.
Oxford have probably just experienced their most comfortable period of the game.
Haji Wright was Coventry's top league scorer last season with 16 goals
Coventry City striker Haji Wright snatched the Sky Blues' first three Championship points of the season with a 96th-minute winner against promoted Oxford United.
Twice Oxford, who had won both their opening two league and cup games, came from behind to leave them thinking they could maintain their unbeaten start to the season.
They followed Wright's opening header by quickly equalising through Ciaron Brown. Then, when Milan van Ewijk drilled the Sky Blues into a half-time lead, the U's did it again when Mark Harris levelled from close range on 55 minutes.
But there was a sting in the tail when Wright, making his first start after a troubled, injury-hit pre-season, rounded the keeper following Will Vaulks' misplaced backpass to earn City their first home victory since early April.
Coventry went ahead for the first time on the night when Van Ewijk and Tatsuhiro Sakamoto linked up well in a rapid move down the right. From Van Ewijk’s hanging cross, Wright rose highest to power home an unstoppable header.
It should have quickly been 2-0 but, from Wright's left-wing cross, Ellis Simms got himself in a tangle and the chance was spurned.
Oxford were level on 22 minutes when Coventry made a mess of clearing a harshly awarded free-kick, the ball cannoned off Simms' shin into the path of visiting defender Brown and he drilled an instinctive first-time low left-foot finish just inside the left upright.
Milan van Ewijk's three goals for Coventry have all been at the CBS Arena
Coventry were then back in front after 31 minutes when, as Wright's attempt to cause havoc down the left was brought to a halt, the ball skewed square across the 18-yard line. The alert Sakamoto cleverly dummied for Van Ewijk lurking behind him, and the Dutch defender's powerful low right-foot shot nutmegged not just one but two Oxford defenders on its way in.
Wright was then denied at the far post with another chance to give Coventry a two-goal cushion - and this proved costly 10 minutes into the second half when Oxford levelled for a second time.
From Cameron Brannagan's left-wing cross, Ruben Rodrigues attempted a diving header at almost floor level and it flew in the direction of Harris who, having been kept onside by Coventry's last man, turned it in off his groin.
Oxford keeper Jamie Cumming kept his side in it when he flew across his line to keep out home defender Luis Binks' back-post header, before making a brilliant late double save from Wright and then home debutant Ephron Mason-Clark.
But, in a game as open as this one, there was always likely to be one final plot twist and, with one costly lapse of concentration, it duly came from Wright.
Coventry City boss Mark Robins told BBC CWR:
"We can drop ourselves in it, that's for sure. We can't be giving goals away like that.
"But some of our attacking play was unbelievable - and they have had to defend really well. Their keeper's made two great saves.
"If Haji Wright keeps going like that, with his pace and power all over the pitch, then he's going to be unplayable.
"What a game though. Some tasty football from both sides - and a great way for us to start at home."
Oxford United boss Des Buckingham told BBC Radio Oxford:
"Football can be a cruel game - and the last 30 seconds of the game has just shown us that again. We deserved a point.
"But I said to the players that they can be so proud, after a wonderful performance last week, of the way we've come away from home and performed against such a tough team in an atmosphere like this.
"To come here and be brave enough to play the way we did, I can't ask much more of them.
"If we keep showing that same desire and togetherness for the next 44 games, we'll put ourselves in a very strong space."
Coventry are back in action in one of the three lunchtime kick-offs next Saturday at Bristol City, who they beat in the League Cup at Ashton Gate in midweek.
Oxford are also on their travels that day with an afternoon kick-of at Blackburn.
| Position | Team | Played | Won | Drawn | Lost | Goals For | Goals Against | Goal Difference | Points | Form, Last 6 games, Oldest first |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 3 |
| |
| 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 3 |
| |
| 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 3 |
| |
| 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 3 |
| |
| 5 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 3 |
| |
| 6 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 3 |
| |
| 7 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 3 |
| |
| 8 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3 |
| |
| 9 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3 |
| |
| 10 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 3 |
| |
| 11 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 1 |
| |
| 12 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 1 |
| |
| 13 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 1 |
| |
| 14 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| |
| 15 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| |
| 16 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | -1 | 0 |
| |
| 17 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | -1 | 0 |
| |
| 18 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 4 | -2 | 0 |
| |
| 19 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 3 | -2 | 0 |
| |
| 20 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | -2 | 0 |
| |
| 21 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | -2 | 0 |
| |
| 22 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | -2 | 0 |
| |
| 23 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 4 | -3 | 0 |
| |
| 24 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4 | -4 | 0 |
|
Manager: Mark Robins
Formation: 4 - 2 - 3 - 1
Manager: Des Buckingham
Formation: 4 - 1 - 4 - 1
Championship
All competitions
All competitions
All competitions
Coventry have only played Oxford at home in the league five times in history, winning four out of five times (L1).
Oxford won 1-0 on their most recent trip to Coventry back in March 2019. There’s only been 11 meetings between the two sides in football league history with Coventry edging it with six wins to Oxfords four (one draw).
Including their final two games of last season, Coventry have now lost three consecutive Championship matches. A defeat here would equal their longest losing streak in league competition under Mark Robins (suffered four straight losses on four previous occasions).
Since the start of the 2012-13 campaign, only two promoted sides have won their opening two matches of a Championship season (Charlton in 2019-20 and Ipswich in 2023-24). Oxford won 2-0 in their opener against Norwich last week.
Ellis Simms has scored five goals in his last five league starts at the Coventry Building Society Arena, after failing to find the net in each of his first nine such starts for the Sky Blues.
