Coventry, England – As Championship battle gear up, Coventry City and Portsmouth go head-to-head on Wednesday, April 9 at 8 PM UK time at the Coventry Building Society Arena. With playoffs on the line, Coventry dey aim to bounce back after losing two matches in a row, while Portsmouth dey fight off relegation.
The Sky Blues sit in seventh place, trailing the final playoff spot by just one point after a mixed bag of performances in recent matches. They don win only one out of their last four league games, along with three defeats. The latest loss come on Saturday, where dem allow Burnley score dem for home ground by 3-1.
Despite dem woes, Coventry don win four out of their last five home games. Manager Frank Lampard‘s side gats build on that positive form since dem don struggle on Wednesdays, failing to win ten straight league matches played on that day. Last time they face Portsmouth, dem bagged a 1-0 win but overall, they only record one victory in the last seven league meetings.
Meanwhile, Portsmouth don recently manage to put distance between themselves and the drop zone. With three losses in four matches recently, dem still dey cling to survival after beating Leeds United 1-0 earlier in March. However, dem no fit carry that momentum enter their last match against Millwall, where dem concede late to lose 2-1.
Portsmouth manager now dey look to fix the team’s defensive frailties as dem are in a position to complete just their second league double over Coventry after beating dem convincingly 4-1 earlier this season. With only ten points from 20 away matches, Pompey must improve their away record to stay clear of relegation.
In terms of lineups, Coventry will miss keeper Brad Collins because of an ACL injury. Backup goalie ready to step in as Lampard waits for news on other injured players like Sakamoto and Rudoni. Portsmouth, on the other hand, dey without key players lang and Murphy but gats some hope with others returning from injury.
Coventry City valid line-up fit include: Collins; Van Ewijk, Thomas, Kitching, Dasilva; Grimes, Torp; Sakamoto, Rudoni, Mason-Clark; Wright. Portsmouth go enter battle with: Schmid; Williams, Poole, Ogilvie, Bramall; Potts, Dozzell; Ritchie, Aouchiche, Murphy; Bishop.
As Coventry look to redeem their home reputation, the pressure is on to secure three points. The stakes high, and the two clubs eyeing crucial points, this game fit prove vital for both sides’ ambitions and survival chances respectively.
