Last-gasp Ballard header sends Sunderland to Wembley
Sunderland will face Sheffield United in the Championship play-off final after Dan Ballard's dramatic 123rd-minute header guided it past Coventry City in the semi-finals.
Having won 2-1 away from home in the first leg last Saturday, Sunderland squandered that lead in the second leg at the Stadium of Light as Coventry's Ephron Mason-Clark scored to take the tie to extra time.
However, with penalties looming, centre-back Ballard powered Enzo Le Fee's corner in off the crossbar to stun Frank Lampard's visitor and book the Black Cats' place at Wembley on 25 May.
A frantic first half saw chances at both ends, with Le Fee volleying off-target for Regis Le Bris' host while Jack Rudoni prodded over the crossbar for Coventry.
Sunderland grew more and more nervous as the second half went on as Lampard's side sent a barrage of crosses into their area, and Coventry's equaliser arrived when Mason-Clark side-footed Milan van Ewijk's delivery into the bottom-right corner in the 76th minute.
The Sky Blues should have won it three minutes into stoppage time, but Haji Wright somehow nodded wide from six yards out as Sunderland survived until extra time.
Sunderland improved in the additional period, but it was not until the third minute of stoppage time that it got its goal, Ballard stooping to divert Le Fee's delivery in off the woodwork and spark wild celebrations at the Stadium of Light.
