In another exciting contest, Luton Town will host Sunderland at Kenilworth Road for the second leg of the EFL Championship semi-final on Wednesday IST.
In the first leg of the English Championship at the Stadium of Light, Sunderland emerged victorious with a 2-1 scoreline. Luton took an early lead with Elijah Adebayo’s goal in the 11th minute. However, Sunderland responded with a goal from on-loan striker Amad Diallo in the 39th minute. Defender Trai Hume then secured the comeback with a decisive goal in the second half.
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Last season, Luton Town were eliminated in the English Championship playoff semifinals, but they are determined to achieve better results this time around. After spending four seasons in League One, their return to the Championship has been significant, and securing a place in the Premier League would be a remarkable accomplishment for the club.
Luton Town-Sunderland match preview
After a comeback win in the first leg of their English Championship playoff semi-final, Sunderland travel to Kenilworth Road to take on Luton Town on Tuesday night. The Black Cats have a 2-1 lead from the opening leg at the Stadium of Light, as Tony Mowbray’s team looked in good touch.
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Luton Town will be looking forward to playing at home following the end of their impressive 14-game unbeaten streak. Their strong finish to the season pushed them third in the EFL Championship table.
Kenilworth Road has been a formidable fortress for Luton during the regular season. They have lost only four times in 23 home matches, while winning five of their last six games. The only exception was a goalless draw with Hull City last Monday.
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This year, Luton has only been defeated at Kenilworth Road by West Bromwich Albion and Burnley. They have conceded just two goals in their last six matches at home. However, Sunderland has shown resilience on their away trips and appear to enjoy difficult challenges.
Sunderland also have an unbeaten streak. They secured the final playoff spot without losing in their last nine regular-season EFL Championship matches. This unbeaten run has put them just one match away from earning remarkable back-to-back promotions.
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The Black Cats have not played in the top tier of English football since the 2016-17 season. Interestingly, Sunderland have scored in their past eight consecutive matches. Although they have only kept one clean sheet in their last six games, their performances are encouraging signs for the red-and-white team.
Head-to-head
The two teams have played 62 times across all competitions since their first meeting in the FA Cup in 1907. Sunderland have 33 wins while Luton have 14.
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Luton Town possible starting lineup:
Horvath; Bell, Lockyer, Osho; Drameh, Mpanzu, Nakamba, Clark, Doughty; Adebayo, Morris
Sunderland possible starting lineup:
Patterson; Huggins, O’Nien, Hume, Gooch; Neil, Ekwah; Diallo, Pritchard, Clarke; Gelhardt
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Luton Town-Sunderland prediction
Luton Town have struggled against Sunderland, managing only one victory in 11 games since 1990. However, their home record versus the same team is slightly better, as they remain unbeaten in three matches. Furthermore, Luton Town has an impressive seven-game unbeaten streak at home.
Sunderland have been in terrific form, remaining unbeaten in their last ten league games. They have also secured three consecutive away victories. Over the course of the season, Sunderland has outscored Luton Town 68-57 in the league.
Four out of their last five matches against each other have ended in 1-1 draws. As a result, another low-scoring draw can be expected in their English Championship tie.
Prediction: Luton Town 1-1 Sunderland
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Date, kick-off time, venue
The English Championship play-off semi-final second leg between Luton Town and Sunderland will kick-off at Kenilworth Road on Wednesday at 12:30 am (IST).
