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Coventry City v Luton Town: Championship playoff final goes to extra time – live


Key events

ET 26 min: Onyedinma embarks on a power dribble down the inside-left channel … only to be denied by a sensational sliding hook-tackle from behind by Sheaf. What an intervention, because Luton had Coventry on the back foot there.

ET 25 min: … to be replaced by Panzo.

ET 24 min: Doyle’s back up, and hopefully rehydrated, but he’s not able to continue. He slowly trudges off …

ET 23 min: Doyle goes down with cramp. On comes the physio with water and energy gel.

ET 22 min: Eccles thinks he’s picked Nakamba’s pocket in the centre circle, but as he romps towards the Luton box, the whistle goes for a fairly cheap free kick.

ET 21 min: Another Luton change. Osho makes way for Potts.

ET 19 min: The pace of the game has significantly dropped. You can’t blame them.

ET 17 min: Some pinball and a jangling of Luton nerves, but the corner’s eventually cleared. “Did you know that, like Keith Houchen’s forehead, Gary Mabbutt’s knee has never had to buy its own pint in Coventry since 1987?” asks Justin Kavanagh. “Ben Wilson could get in on that act, if this goes to penalties.”

ET 16 min: Bidwell throws in from the left. Gyokeres spins Burke on the byline and crosses, forcing Osho to concede a corner.

Coventry get the second half of extra time underway. Luton have replaced Adebayo with Taylor. We’re 15 minutes plus stoppages away from penalty kicks.

Half-time (v2.0) reading.

EXTRA TIME, HALF TIME: Coventry City 1-1 Luton Town

It’s tense. It’s entertaining, if increasingly scrappy.

ET 15 min +1: The first of two additional minutes. Kelly glides down the middle. He’s got Bidwell in space on the left, but tries to steer a gentle shot into the bottom-left corner. The ball apologetically trundles wide of the post.

ET 15 min: Gyokeres combines crisply with Eccles and nearly opens Luton up down the right. But the fresh Berry comes across to intercept just as a dangerous attack threatens to develop.

ET 13 min: Horvath is good to continue.

ET 12 min: While the keeper receives some running repairs, Coventry make a change … and it’s a curious one, as Palmer, not that long on the field having replaced Hamer, is hooked for Eccles. To his great credit, there’s no tantrum, just a look of disappointment. Mark Robins has a word.

ET 11 min: Horvath kicks long then goes down feeling his hamstring. On comes the physio.

ET 10 min: VAR confirms referee Michael Oliver’s view. Clark doesn’t really push the point with the referee, which probably speaks volumes.

ET 9 min: Clark chases after a speculative pass into the Coventry box down the left. Out comes Wilson. Clark gets there first, poking the ball forward, then flinging himself down. He wants a penalty, but he’s getting booked for simulation instead.

Luton Town's Jordan Clark goes to ground after a challenge by Coventry City goalkeeper Ben Wilson, resulting in a yellow card for simulation during the Sky Bet Championship play-off final at Wembley Stadium.
Luton Town’s Jordan Clark challenges for the ball with Coventry City keeper Ben Wilson. Photograph: Nick Potts/PA
Luton Town’s Jordan Clark goes to ground after a challenge by Coventry City goalkeeper Ben Wilson, resulting in a yellow card for simulation during the Sky Bet Championship play-off final at Wembley Stadium.
And rather than a penalty, he gets a yellow card for simulation. Photograph: Nick Potts/PA

ET 8 min: Luton replace Mpanzu with Berry.

ET 7 min: It’s end-to-end stuff now. Sheaf nicks the ball off the toe of Clark, who was preparing to shoot. Palmer goes up the other end and feeds Gyokeres, who loses control. Morris tears off down the left and is upended by McNally, who is booked for the foul. Clark’s free kick is cleared easily enough.

ET 5 min: Onyedinma wafts a cross into the Coventry box from the left. Morris knows he’s offside and doesn’t compete for it. The ball sails out for a goal kick.

ET 3 min: Palmer steals the ball from Nakamba in the centre circle and piles down the middle. With the pitch opening up, he’s cynically nudged off the ball by Onyedinma, who for some reason gets away without a booking. Bidwell chips the resulting free kick into a crowded box, but it bounces harmlessly out for a goal kick.

ET 1 min: Wilson launches a long drop kick. Gyokeres rolls Bell and stings Horvath’s hands from 25 yards. Horvath parries the vicious strike confidently and gathers the loose ball.

Coventry City's Viktor Gyökeres has this shot saved during the English Championship play-off final football match between Coventry City and Luton Town at Wembley Stadium.
Coventry City’s Viktor Gyökeres fires off a shot from distance. Photograph: Adrian Dennis/AFP/Getty Images

Luton get the first period of extra time underway. Coventry have made a change, swapping out Norton-Cuffy for Dabo. “Coventry must be hoping that Gary Mabbutt’s knee is going to come on for Luton,” quips iconic-own-goal enthusiast Niall Mullen.

Coventry were the better team in the second half. They weren’t as dominant as Luton were in the first, and they didn’t create half as many good chances. And yet on balance a draw after regulation time seems about right. We still don’t know who will face one of Everton, Leicester City and Leeds United in the Premier League next season. Extra time to come … followed perhaps by penalty kicks. How are your nerves? Yes, ours are in a right old state too.

FULL TIME: Coventry City 1-1 Luton Town

Extra time it is, then!

90 min +8: Morris races past McFadzean, who had rashly committed himself to a sliding tackle. Morris bombs clear down the right. McNally comes across to block and dig his team-mate out of bother.

90 min +7: A bit of space for Sheaf, 25 yards out. He shoots. Luton block and counter. Mpanzu cuts in from the left and goes for the bottom left. Easy for Wilson.

90 min +5: Gyokeres wins a throw down the left. Bidwell takes and works it infield for Palmer, who drops a shoulder and goes for the top right. He finds the top right of the stand behind.

90 min +4: The game gets scrappy. Nerves kicking in. The tension at Wembley is palpable.

90 min +2: Clark hoicks the free kick miles over the bar. Coventry go up the other end, where Godden tries to whip an opportunistic shot over the wandering Horvath from 40 yards. High and wide. Had that been on target, the keeper might have had a problem.

90 min +1: McFadzean needlessly runs into the back of Morris, 25 yards from his own goal. There wasn’t much contact, and Morris was certainly looking for the free kick, but McFadzean’s positioning rolled out the red carpet. This is dangerous.

90 min: The corner is hit long and misses everyone in the box. There will be eight extra minutes.

89 min: Drameh crosses from the right. Onyedinma prepares to meet the ball at the far post, six yards out, but Norton-Cuffy nips in to steer the ball out for a corner.

88 min: Gyokeres spins elegantly on the edge of the Luton D and takes a shy towards the top left, but he’s crowded out by three defenders and the ball’s deflected into Horvath’s arms.

87 min: Palmer tries again and makes it into the box, but Burke comes across to step in and shepherd the ball out for a goal kick.

86 min: Palmer tries a trick or two along the left touchline but there’s no way through the Luton back line.

84 min: A Luton change: Onyedinma comes on for Doughty.

Luton Town fans in the stands shield their eyes from the sun during the Sky Bet Championship play-off final against Coventry City at Wembley Stadium.
Luton Town fans in the stands shield their eyes from the sun. Photograph: Nick Potts/PA

83 min: Adebayo hassles McFadzean down the Luton left and forces the defender to give up a corner. Once again, defenders considerably outnumber attackers. Too much at stake to take too many chances.

82 min: Palmer’s first contribution is a deep cross from the left. There’s nobody in Sky Blue to attack it. Both teams now unwilling to throw too many men forward with time running out.

80 min: A distraught Hamer limps off, tears in his eyes. He covers his face with his shirt before receiving a hug from his manager. A bittersweet moment. Palmer comes on in his place.

79 min: Hamer goes down again. His race looks run.

78 min: Drameh floats in a cross from the right. Wilson claims bravely under pressure from Adebayo.

77 min: Hamer is trying to run off the injury, but he’s not moving smoothly.

76 min: It takes him a while, but the physio eventually gets Hamer back up onto his feet. But the Coventry goalscorer is limping. He really turned that right ankle while contesting a high ball with Nakamba.

74 min: Hamer is down having landed awkwardly in midfield. The physio comes on and pokes gingerly at his ankle. Time for everyone else to take on some liquid. It’s sunny and warm down Wembley Way.

Coventry City's Gustavo Hamer receives treatment after going down injured against Luton Town.
Coventry City’s Gustavo Hamer receives treatment. Photograph: Tom Jenkins/The Observer

73 min: Hamer sends the free kick towards the far stick. Nobody in Sky Blue attacks it. Very strange. But Luton fail to clear their lines properly, and the ball’s returned into the box from a deep position on the left. It finds Gyokeres on the penalty spot. He leans back and lashes over. He should have hit the target at least.

72 min: Godden chases a speculative pass down the right. Osho hesitates under the high ball and allows Godden to take control of the situation, before barging him over. Free kick just outside the Luton box on the right.

70 min: The nerves are kicking in now. Adebayo nearly gets on the end of a long ball down the middle. The ball squirts through to Wilson, who mishandles and nearly tees it up for the Luton forward. Fortunately for the keeper he gathers immediately, and farce is given the bodyswerve.

68 min: That unfolded in a very similar fashion to the Luton goal. A long pass down the left, a perfectly weighted pass inside, a midfielder arriving late to score. Coventry have been the better side since the restart, and there’s their reward.





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