Coventry City beat Sunderland 3-1 at the Coventry Building Society Arena on Saturday, taking control with three goals in the first 52 minutes of a Premier League gameweek 9 meeting between two sides in the bottom half of the table.
Three goals before the hour
Tatsuhiro Sakamoto gave Coventry the lead after 17 minutes. Taiwo Awoniyi doubled it on 37, and Coventry went in at the break two goals to the good.
Jack Rudoni made it 3-0 seven minutes after the restart, with Victor Torp credited with the assist.
Sunderland were awarded a penalty and Enzo Le Fée converted it on 67 minutes to cut the deficit. They could not find a second goal.
The match ended badly for the visitors. Omar Alderete was booked in the fourth minute of stoppage time and shown a second yellow card, and so a red, in the ninth.
What the numbers say
Sunderland had more of the ball, with 57% possession to Coventry's 43%. They also had more shots, 17 to 12, but Coventry were sharper where it mattered.
The hosts put four shots on target and scored three times. Sunderland managed two on target, and one of them became the penalty goal. Eight of Sunderland's shots were blocked, against four of Coventry's, and they had seven off target to Coventry's four.
Corners were even at four each. Coventry committed 16 fouls to Sunderland's nine. Torp (7 minutes) and Sakamoto (55) were their only bookings.
The finishing fits a pattern. Expected goals data via Fantasy Premier League, which measures the quality of chances created, had Sunderland ahead on attack this season at 1.43 per game against Coventry's 0.96. Coventry's season average of one goal per game had been the lower figure, and they scored three here.
What it means
Coventry go into the table in 15th place with nine points, three wins and a goal difference of minus seven. They came into the game having won two of their previous five.
Sunderland are 20th with five points, one win and a goal difference of minus ten. They had lost four of their last five before this game and drew the other, so the search for a first win in that run goes on.
The two sides' recent meetings have been tight. Coventry had won two of the last six, with three draws and one Sunderland win. This was the more comfortable result for the home side.
MFF's match model had forecast a 1-0 Coventry win, giving the hosts a 37% chance, with 28% for a draw and 35% for a Sunderland win. It had the right winner but the wrong scoreline.
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