Lampard relishing ´great challenge´ after Coventry seal play-off place

Frank Lampard is relishing a “great challenge” as he aims to guide Coventry City through the Championship play-offs.

Jack Rudoni scored in both halves at the Coventry Building Society Arena, where Lampard’s side secured fifth place and a play-off semi-final showdown with Sunderland by beating Middlesbrough 2-0 on Saturday.

The midfielder headed in Tatsuhiro Sakamoto’s cross just before half-time, while tucking home from Brandon Thomas-Asante’s square ball with three minutes remaining.

It has been a remarkable turnaround for Coventry, who occupied 17th place when Lampard took charge at the end of November.

“It’s great for the club, from where we’ve come from,” he told Sky Sports. “It’s going to be a great challenge. It’s been a long week. I’m pleased to take a breath after that.

“You worry when you don’t score, and you’re on top, but we got what we deserved in the end. We have to expect the best version of Sunderland. They are there because they were so good in the first half of the season.

“I talk to Rudoni a lot. He is a great kid. Every day, he wants to get better. I never had that [heading ability]. He beats me with that. He is constant energy. He can be the main man of the day.”

PLAY-OFFS CLINCHED!

We will compete for a place in the @PremierLeague in this season’s @SkyBetChamp Play-Offs.pic.twitter.com/tuifFt2Rma

— Coventry City (@Coventry_City) May 3, 2025

“It’s a great feeling,” Rudoni said. “We have worked hard for this since the gaffer came in – from 17th to the play-offs.

“I’ve popped a couple [of goals] in, though I was blowing for the second, trying to keep up with Brandon. Everyone is buzzing. The noise was amazing. These fans get us through.”

Defeat for Middlesbrough ended their hopes of snatching a place in the play-offs, and head coach Michael Carrick rued a “sickening feeling” at missing out.

“I’m gutted for the boys,” he told BBC Radio Tees. “I think they gave everything today, put in a really good performance for the most part, and didn’t get what we wanted from the game. It’s a sickening feeling.

“We didn’t manage to take our opportunities and, in the end, we’re feeling like we are.

“The fact we haven’t got in the play-offs is hurtful enough. We’ve created our own expectations, which is the positive. The boys have shown what they can do, and we feel the disappointment we haven’t got that.”