On This Day (31st July 2022): First game back in the Championship ends in entertaining stalemate

Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images

The sense of anticipation, relief and excitement bundled into one was palpable around the Stadium of Light for this early-morning Sunday kick-off. With the infamous winter World Cup just around the corner, Sunderland’s official season began on the final day of July, which was surely a rare occurrence in their history.

Their opponents were Coventry City, a team that has had some controversial encounters with ourselves over the years. They came into this season with some formidable players in their

ranks, such as now-Arsenal player Viktor Gyökeres, along with Gustavo Hamer, who went on to play in the Premier League.

With the Sky cameras in situ, Sunderland came out of the traps akin to a hungry greyhound chasing a hare, with everything done at a hundred miles per hour. Sunderland’s right-back for the day, Lynden Gooch, was his typical industrious self, taking on his opponent at every opportunity.

These runs were where our first goal of the 22/23 campaign came from, with Gooch’s cross from the right finding winger Jack Clarke at the opposite post, where he glanced his header in from close range.

Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images

Cue relief and pandemonium around the Stadium of Light, as the fans felt like, finally, we were competing at a level that was more like our own.

With a promotion to a higher division comes stronger and more talented opposition, and Coventry took the fight to us from there on, where we began to struggle somewhat, especially in midfield, where Hamer was getting the better of Corry Evans.

Jonathan Panzo’s ferocious 30-yard strike was brilliantly turned onto the crossbar by Anthony Patterson before Matt Godden fired an excellent chance wide after the break.

As the second half wore on, we really began to struggle, where the momentum of the game was certainly beginning to change. Despite a decent save from now-Sunderland goalkeeper Simon Moore from Ross Stewart, Coventry were the ones putting all the pressure on.

Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images

A familiar face was between the sticks for our opponents...

Sunderland manager Alex Neil brought on Luke O’Nien, hoping to stem the tide, but with five minutes left, Coventry’s pressure was ultimately rewarded when Gyökeres picked the ball up centrally, 25 yards out, came onto his right foot and smashed a wicked strike into the bottom corner.

After this, the home fans were nervous of an impending second goal to ruin the occasion, but the team got out of this game with a valued point and a solid start back to life in the Championship.

Sunderland manager Alex Neil was pleased with the point but bemoaned the moment where his team ‘fell asleep’.

I thought we gave a good account of ourselves. I thought we were organised, and we made it really difficult for them. Let’s be honest, we’d be talking about a great result here if it wasn’t for one moment of quality.

We switch off, don’t get down the line quick enough and let him turn, but even then, it’s a great goal. It’s not as if we’ve made an error and they’ve had a tap in. The lad’s had to turn, dip past two players and bang the ball in the bottom corner. That’s the quality of the Championship.

Overall, Sunderland looked right at home in the Championship and with the team they had out there, it was likely that they would go on to cause problems for more teams during this season.

Sunderland: Patterson, Gooch, Ballard, Batth, Cirkin, Evans, Embleton, Pritchard, Neil, Clarke, Stewart Subs: O’Nien, Roberts

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