Sheffield Wednesday manager Danny Rohl focuses on FA Cup positives after shoot-out drama at Coventry City

SHEFFIELD WEDNESDAY manager Danny Rohl was sad to exit the FA Cup at the first hurdle – but was determined to focus on the positives for his team after their shoot-out heartache at Coventry City.

Last season’s FA Cup semi-finalists booked their place in this year’s fourth round of after they came out on top 4-3 on penalties following a 1-1 draw after extra time.

Liam Kitching’s first-half goal was cancelled out by Anthony Musaba’s stoppage-time equaliser before the Sky Blues prevailed.

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The pair had met at the same stage of the competition last season, when the Sky Blues won 4-1 in a replay after the first leg was marred by racist abuse directed at Kasey Palmer.

Coventry went on to Wembley, where they themselves suffered a devastating penalty shootout defeat to Manchester United.

“Big credit to my team to come back again – we have to win this game,” said Rohl.

“We deserve to win this game. Especially second half, we control the game, we dominate the game, we come to the final third with really good situations, but if you only have three shots on target it’s not enough for all the things we are doing.

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“To come to Coventry and to dominate the game like this, it’s where we are at the moment, but we lost this game and for me we have to decide this game before the penalty shootout.

HEADING OUT: Sheffield Wednesday's Jamal Lowe misses his penalty in the shoot-out at the end of his team's FA Cup third round clash with fellow Championship side Coventry City. Picture: Nigel French/PA.HEADING OUT: Sheffield Wednesday's Jamal Lowe misses his penalty in the shoot-out at the end of his team's FA Cup third round clash with fellow Championship side Coventry City. Picture: Nigel French/PA.
HEADING OUT: Sheffield Wednesday's Jamal Lowe misses his penalty in the shoot-out at the end of his team's FA Cup third round clash with fellow Championship side Coventry City. Picture: Nigel French/PA.

“When you have so many situations, two against two, one-v-one, two against one situations and you don’t come to a dangerous finish, then there’s an issue here.

“It looks really nice what we are doing, and there was no feeling that the opponent had a solution against us.

“I think all-in-all, take the positives from this game but I am a little bit sad about the result at the end.”

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Wednesday have conceded the most goals from set pieces in the Championship this season with 15, and it was their Achilles heel that undid Danny Rohl’s side once again when Victor Torp’s corner fell nicely for Kitching to turn and slam his effort past Pierce Charles.

THE GREAT LEVELLER: Sheffield Wednesday's Anthony Musaba scores a late equaliser against Coventry City in Saturday's FA Cup third round clash, the hosts eventually winning 4-3 on penalties. Picture: Nigel French/PATHE GREAT LEVELLER: Sheffield Wednesday's Anthony Musaba scores a late equaliser against Coventry City in Saturday's FA Cup third round clash, the hosts eventually winning 4-3 on penalties. Picture: Nigel French/PA
THE GREAT LEVELLER: Sheffield Wednesday's Anthony Musaba scores a late equaliser against Coventry City in Saturday's FA Cup third round clash, the hosts eventually winning 4-3 on penalties. Picture: Nigel French/PA

It had been a subdued opening 25 minutes in freezing temperatures at the CBS Arena, as Ellis Simms saw the first real opening at goal but his effort was met by the chest of Wednesday keeper Charles.

Coventry could have doubled their lead when the hosts created a three-on-one chance off the back of a Wednesday corner, but Brandon Thomas-Asante could not pick out Simms to set him through on goal.

Charles then made a spectacular double save, first denying Simms from point-blank range before keeping out Torp’s follow-up with the goal at his mercy.

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Rohl introduced Josh Windass, Jamal Lowe and Barry Bannan in search of an equaliser.

GOING OUT: Sheffield Wednesday's Olaf Kobacki reacts after his is penalty saved. Picture: Nigel French/PAGOING OUT: Sheffield Wednesday's Olaf Kobacki reacts after his is penalty saved. Picture: Nigel French/PA
GOING OUT: Sheffield Wednesday's Olaf Kobacki reacts after his is penalty saved. Picture: Nigel French/PA

Luis Binks came to the Sky Blues’ rescue as he blocked Lowe’s effort before Oliver Dovin tipped Bannan’s dipping volley over the crossbar.

But deep into stoppage time, Wednesday equalised from a set piece of their own when Jack Rudoni failed to clear a corner with Musaba lurking behind him waiting to tap in from close range.

After neither side found a winner in extra time, Charles saved Jake Bidwell’s penalty before Lowe fired over and Dovin saved from Olaf Kobacki to seal Coventry’s place in the fourth round.

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Coventry manager Frank Lampard praised his young squad’s character after they found a way through to the next stage.

“We’re really young lads – Norman (Bassette) to step up and Oliver (Dovin) to make a save, even people like Josh (Eccles) to take one,” he said.

“I know some have taken them before but they were very confident to put their hand up to take them, which is obviously a great sign. And I think we deserved it.

Sheffield Wednesday are a good opponent and they played well but I think we deserved it for how we approached the whole game.”

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He added: “I am happy with the performance. I felt we deserved the second goal, there was one disallowed.

“It was a goal so I don’t know what the referee saw, but there were some strange decisions there throughout the game.

“But there was some good play…some good situations with the front two who were lively, and I was pleased with them.

“I thought there was an improvement at the front end of the pitch, so that can happen that you don’t score.”

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Coventry City: Dovin, Thomas, Kitching, Binks (Sakamoto 96), van Ewijk, Allen (Borges Rodrigues 105), Rudoni, Overgaard, Dasilva (Bidwell 79), Thomas-Asante (Eccles 96), Simms (Bassette 88). Unused substitutes: Collins, Latibeaudiere, Tavares, Sandiford.

Sheffield Wednesday: P Charles, Valery, Otegbayo (Ihiekwe 46), Bernard, M Lowe, Chalobah (Windass 46), S Charles, Ingelsson (Kobacki 76), Musaba, Ugbo (J Lowe 58), Gassama (Bannan 67). Unused substitutes: Hamer, Paterson, Valentin, McNeill.

Referee: Thomas Kirk (Manchester).

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