Coventry City 1 - 1 Luton Town
Posted: Sat May 27, 2023 8:39 pm
Dabo heartbreak as Sky Blues cruelly miss out on promotion
Coventry City lost the Championship play-off final in the cruellest way possible, losing 6-5 in a dramatic penalty shootout to Luton Town at Wembley Stadium.
All five penalty takers from each side scored to send the verdict into sudden death. Dan Potts scored Town’s sixth but Fankaty Dabo lifted his over the bar to leave Sky Blue hearts broken after a determined second half fight-back from Mark Robins’ men who went agonisingly close to a return to the Premier League.
Luton took a deserved lead from Jordan Clark in a disappointing first half from the Sky Blues who struggled to get going, managing just one attempt on goal to Town’s ten, including three on target.
But Gus Hamer got Coventry back on level terms midway through the second half with a sublime finish from a Viktor Gyokeres pull-back to set up a thrilling climax to the game which ventured into extra-time when Luton thought they’d won it four minutes from time, only to have their goal disallowed by VAR for handball.
The Hatters started the game with plenty of attacking intent and pressing City back towards their own goal, but the Sky Blues kept calm and played the ball about nicely amongst themselves when they had the ball.
But Coventry had their first set-piece scare from Town’s first corner of the game which saw centre-back Gabriel Osho bundle over the line, only for the goal to be ruled out for off-side with just five minutes on the clock. The Hatters then suffered a serious blow with inspirational skipper Tom Lockyer went down injured despite no-one being around him. He was treated on the pitch for about five minutes before being stretchered off and replaced by Reece Burke.
City then found themselves a goal down as Luton’s direct play finally paid off, with Adebayo getting the better of Kyle McFadzean on the left flank and pulling the ball back to Jordan Clark who gave Luke McNally the slip and picked his spot past Ben Wilson at his near post.
Robins’ men failed to register a single attempt on goal by the 40 minute mark when Town had the ball in the back of the net again, albeit ruled out for handball after Adebayo used his arm to block a Callum Doyle hooked clearance.
Coventry’s first attempt came in the 43rd minute when Hamer got on the end of a Jake Bidwell cross but sent it over the bar as the Sky Blues grew in confidence towards the break, which included eight minutes for stoppages.
Striker Matty Godden replaced Jamie Allen for the second half as City’s box midfield proved ineffective and, kicking towards the Sky Blue Army, the players gave a better account of themselves. And City finally got the goal their efforts deserved when Callum Doyle played a sublime ball down the left for Gyokeres to run onto and pull it back for Hamer to slot home from the edge of the box. The 66th minute goal in front of a sea of sky blue saw the stadium erupt as City were back in the game.
City’s star man, however, went down with an ankle injury shortly after and limped off in the 80th minute, replaced by Kasey Palmer before the game drifted into eight frantic minutes of end to end added time for stoppages with both sides going at it to win in regular time.
But 30 minutes of extra-time ensued with Palmer having to go off, replaced by Eccles, but with City enjoying the momentum. Doyle had to go off injured, replaced by Jonathan Panzo in the second half of extra-time and the defender lost possession to Joe Taylor who put the ball in the back of the net, believing he’d scored the winner. But VAR ruled it out seconds later for handball and the game was decided on a penalty shootout.
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