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Penny for Mark Robins' thoughts? That facial expression sums it up.

Ben Wilson has just hoisted a huge punt which sailed straight through to his opposite number Zack Steffen.

They need to get a hold of the ball. Not like that though, as Gustavo Hamer floats a harmless diagonal straight into Steffen's welcoming palms. Back-pass territory.

This start from Boro is the exact opposite of the game at the Riverside on Monday, where Coventry were the side who had the game in their grasp.

Yet they've scarcely touched the ball. There's been little incision.

They're a team who can be dangerous on the break, but their outlet balls have yet to pierce the Teessiders core.

Ged Scott
BBC Sport at the CBS Arena

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As loud as the pre-match atmosphere was - and the continued noise that has followed for the next first quarter of an hour - it does not compare to the sound of almost silence as that Chuba Akpom effort left his foot.

25,000 Cov fans all collectively holding their breath at the same time, wondering where that ball was heading.

Too scary almost for words. Maybe it will wake City up.

They have had some bad starts here in this stadium this season. Two down inside 18 minutes twice in successive home games - to both Wrexham and Norwich.

To be only 0-0 now seems almost a bonus.

Callum Doyle makes a huge block to deny Isaiah Jones from getting a cross in, sliding to turn it away.

Boro just starting to open the home side up, this time a driving run and one-two from Hayden Hackney, whose angled pass set Jones in on the right.

Another warning shot.

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Jake Bidwell careers into Isaiah Jones on the touchline, as the Boro winger touched the ball, catches him late and leaves him in a heap.

Foul but no card for the Coventry defender.

Jones makes a concerted point to Bobby Madley the referee, but nothing doing.

Steve Ogrizovic
Ex-Coventry goalkeeper on BBC CWR

It looks like it's hit the back of Ben Wilson's legs and deflected on to the bar.

If it has that's a really crucial save.

Superb save by Ben Wilson to deny Chuba Akpom, who is put in for the first time for Middlesbrough.

It's been patient from the visitors, pinging the ball around and trying to stretch the home side, and after a cross was headed away, the ball was played to Riley McGree who rolled it into Akpom behind.

Great run, took a touch, fired his shot, but Wilson gets an arm up to deflect it on to the bar and away.

That was a golden chance. Credit to keeper though.

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Bright start from Boro, and their fans have been vocal in supporting their team already.

Michael Carrick though, is calm as you like. Poker faced, perhaps is a good way of putting it.

He'll have been pleased with the way Boro got around Viktor Gyokeres and swamped a Coventry attack just a moment ago. Maybe inwardly though.

Chuba Akpom's pace has Coventry scrambling, and Brooke Norton-Cuffy is forced to clutch the Boro striker to halt his progress in midfield.

They'll need to be careful, get to a booking and he'll torment you.

Hayden Hackney stands over the ball but it's rolled back into the back four and Boro start from scratch.

Better from the hosts, as Brooke Norton-Cuffy pings a ball into space on the left and Jake Bidwell stretches his legs to obtain it and approaches the box.

His cross is blocked for a corner, which Boro just about head away at the near post.

The Sky Blues retrieve it, but Boro squeeze up and the ball goes back to Ben Wilson in goal.

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All a bit sloppy from Coventry, as they gain the ball, look to spread from right to left but sink it out of play.

Just seeing some of Gustavo Hamer's skill and close control, he found a little ball to unlock Boro and get away from their press.

The hassle and harry of Alex Mowatt and Hayden Hackney is something that the trio of Liam Kelly, Hamer and Josh Eccles need to find a way to bypass.

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Chuba Akpom brings the ball down midway inside the Coventry half for Boro, but he's brought down by Liam Kelly.

The set-piece is looped into the box for Akpom, who's on the move, but the ball sails behind for a goal-kick.

Coventry yet to really enjoy possession.

Early ball in behind by Darragh Lenihan, curled into the channels, tries to track the run of Cameron Archer for Middlesbrough.

The livewire forward arcs his run but goes too soon, and he's flagged offside.

Confident, direct start from Boro though.

Huddles complete. Everyone in position. Referee Robert 'Bobby' Madley gets us going with a shrill on his pea-blaster.

It's up and running and the fans are ready for it. Boro have possession.

Will the players respond? If you can't play in this kind of atmosphere, you shouldn't be out there.

Rousing reception for the players as they head out of the tunnel at the CBS Arena.

Balloons bob about the place and flames shoot up from pitchside. As Ged just said, this is what the play-offs are about. Packed stands and raucous atmosphere.

Ged Scott
BBC Sport at the CBS Arena

This stadium has had some bumper crowds and house-full notices up before in its 18 years of existence.

But I do not remember an atmosphere like this one.

The noise when the two teams came out was almost deafening!

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Grab your pistol and head for the shootout. It's gonna be an old-fashioned gunslingers' duel this afternoon, and again on Wednesday.

No-one in the Championship knows their way to the back of the net better than these two hotshots, in Boro's Chuba Akpom and Cov's Viktor Gyokeres.

Akpom is having the season of his life, rattling in 29 goals in all competitions, with 28 in the league. His pace and ability to pop up with a strike have made him a focal point.

Gyokeres has followed up 18 last season with 21 this, helping the Sky Blues to a run of just one loss in 17 games. His hold up play, pace to get in behind and eye for goal have made him hot property.

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Middlesbrough's rise since the appointment of Michael Carrick has given fans and even players the chance to dream of the Premier League.

Defender Darragh Lenihan is one of those who would love the chance to try his hand at the top table, but he knows that Coventry must be the focus and not the prize which could await down the line if they can pass them.

"I haven't played, personally, in the Premier League myself. A few of the lads in the team have," he said.

"It's every kid's dream. Personally for me, it would be exceptional - and it would be great not only for the players, but also the town and the fans.

"That's what we do it for at the end of the day. But we'll only be focusing on Coventry on Sunday.

"It's just another game, the gaffer has told us. Just go and show what you can do, do what he's asked in terms of tactics and what not, and go and enjoy it.

"That's one thing he's said since day one. The first meeting. He just said, 'enjoy the game, enjoy playing football, enjoy taking the ball and passing the ball'. That's what we'll try to do and see where it takes us."

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Coventry's Liam Kelly knows all about play-off success, as he was part of the Sky Blues' promotion from League Two all the way back in 2018.

The 33-year-old was part of a team that only drew with Notts County in the first leg, but bounced back to win their way to Wembley and victory against Exeter.

"You can put yourself in a good position," 33-year-old Kelly told BBC CWR. "But things are not going to be decided just on this first leg.

"The tie is over 180 minutes and possibly more too.

"We went into that second leg as underdogs but we took a fantastic fanbase with us and ended up winning 5-2 on aggregate.

"The most important thing is to just to get the crowd behind us in this first leg and give it a real good go."

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It is a quirk of the fixture list that Middlesbrough and Coventry were paired in the play-offs just days after finishing their regular seasons with a game against each other.

That match finished 1-1, as Cameron Archer levelled up for Boro after a Gustavo Hamer rocket had earlier opened the scoring.

On the evidence of that game, both sides have the quality to hurt each other, and control of the midfield could be vital.