Coventry City player ratings from CoventryLive, as Sky Blues reporter Andy Turner delivers the scores from the Welsh capital.
Tatsuhiro Sakamoto earned a New Year’s Day point for Coventry City in a classic battle of two halves at Cardiff City Stadium, where the host team was reduced to ten men just a minute after the Sky Blues levelled.
Coventry had all of the early control but gave the ball away cheaply from a wayward Josh Eccles pass, sparking a counterattack and the opening goal for the home side, who scored all too easy to go up after only six minutes. Callum O’Dowda beat Bobby Thomas on the left wing before sending in an unopposed cross, allowing Cian Ashford to head back across the goal to Alex Robertson, who directed the ball over the line into a series of really inadequate collective defences.
The Sky Blues had a terrible first half, with poor passing across the pitch. However, they came out fighting in the second half and drew level in the first minute of the restart when Ellis Simms worked his way into the box and hit a shot that deflected off the keeper and into the path of Sakamoto, the Japanese winger hooking home at the near post.
Seconds later, the Bluebirds were reduced to ten men after Callum Robinson was sent out for violent behaviour after lashing out with an elbow during a challenge that left Thomas on the ground.
City dominated the rest of the half, capitalising on the extra man advantage, but were unable to find a way past Jak Aknwick in goal, with Sheaf, Torp, and Simms all denied by saves, while Oliver Dovin played his role at the other end, denying Ollie Tanner a winner.
Starting formation: 4-2-3-1.
Oliver Dovin: 6.5 Forced to dash out of his area to confront Cian Ashford, who beat the off-side trap and attempted to run clean through on goal, the keeper did well by forcing the attacker wide and allowing City to recover. He was alert to the danger as he buried an O’Dowda cross ahead of Robertson at the near post. He made an excellent stop to his right to prevent Tanner from breaking through.
MILAN VAN EWIJK: 4/5
Didn’t get close enough to O’Dowda, who caused havoc down the left during the first half when he was off his game. Much better in the second half, when he participated in wave after wave of attacks down City’s right, where Sakamoto had resurfaced.
BOBBY THOMAS: 5
In the first few minutes, he made a terrible pass out of play and was beaten down the left wing by O’Dowda, who crossed in for Cardiff’s early goal. Just before halftime, he made a critical stop to prevent Siopis’ shot. During the red card incident, I was elbowed in the face.
JOEL LATIBEAUDIERE: 5.5/6
He read the game reasonably well and defended well in his area, although committing elsewhere for the early goal. Under pressure, he maintained a calm demeanour and took good care of the ball when obliged to.
JOSH ECCLES: 5.5
A bad pass led to Cardiff’s first attack and opening goal. He came close to scoring with a powerful and low attempt that prompted the custodian to make his first save just after the half-hour mark. Improved in the second half.
BEN SHEAF: 5.5/6
As the guy closest to goal scorer Robertson, he should have performed better in the area to defend the initial goal. Made a wonderful block to deny Willock on the counter-attack, and was then denied by a block on the line at the other end following a lovely three-man play.
TATSUHIRO SAKAMOTO: 6.5
Did not provide enough of an attacking threat in the first half, when he was one of several players who were unable to contain Cardiff’s threat down the left. Simms’ superb work in the first minute of the second half put him in the right place at the right time to score the equaliser. Much improved after the interval, when he began to challenge his full-back and become the threat we all know he is capable of becoming.
Leave a Reply