Luke O’Nien hailed for what he did to Coventry players after Sunderland win
Sunderland have reached the Championhip play-off final after a breathless 3-2 aggregate victory over Coventry City.
The tie looked all but certain to go to penalties after Ephron Mason-Clark but the visitors 1-0 up on the night.
However, man mountain Dan Ballard rose highest from a corner to equaliser in the 123rd minute and send the Black Cats to Wembley.
The scenes at the Stadium of Light were biblical, with supporters celebrating the incredible late goal.
However, one man who kept his cool at full-time was Sunderland captain Luke O’Nien, who has been praised for his classy gestures towards the Coventry squad.
Luke O’Nien praised for shaking hands with dejected Coventry players
O’Nien has been praised throughout Sunderland’s campaign for his performances on and off the field.
However, the 30-year-old likely hadn’t faced a harder test in his career than the Coventry match as he attempted to keep his squad focused.
Frank Lampard’s team through everything at the hosts, but they simply could not get that vital last goal.
As a result, in the last minute when Sunderland scored the equaliser, nobody could blame the players or the staff for going crazy.
Yet, on the other side of the coin was Coventry, who were visibly dejected at full-time.
Therefore, O’Nien made sure he gave his commiserations to the opposition as he shook each one of their hands after the whistle, which has earned high praise from BBC Sport writer Adam Lanigan.
He told BBC Sport (13 May): “What a classy guy Luke O’Nien is.
“His team have just secured a place at Wembley but he is making sure he shakes hands with all the dejected Coventry players.
“A perfect example of how to win for anyone watching.”
O’Nien the perfect leader for Sunderland
One thing that is certain at Sunderland, if they do get promoted, they will have O’Nien to thank.
Throughout all of the dark and nerve-wracking moments that have happened this campaign, the captain has kept the squad together and focused on their goal.
It is hard to imagine where the team would be without the midfielder, and he has no doubt been key to their success.
Hopefully, he ensures the Black Cats get the job done now and overcome Sheffield United to finally return to the English top-flight.