Sky Bet EFL Championship
Saturday 7 February 2026
CBS Arena, Coventry
Coventry City… 0
Oxford United… 0
Oxford United battled to a positive 0-0 draw against league leaders Coventry City at the CBS Arena.
The point was made even more difficult to earn after Will Lankshear earned a red card on the 70th minute, meaning United had to fight through the final 20 minutes, plus eight minutes of stoppage time, with 10 men.
Matt Bloomfield made three changes to the side, with debuts for deadline day signings Ruben Roosken and Aidomo Emakhu
The first chance of the afternoon came to the hosts on the 16th minute. Matt Grimes advanced forward from the centre of the pitch and reached the edge of the penalty area before turning a shot narrowly wide of the bottom right corner.
United’s first shot on target came 16 minutes later. Christ Makosso won a freekick high up the pitch which Ruben Roosken whipped into the box and onto the head of Ciaron Brown which troubled the keeper.
Right up the other end and Jamie Cumming produced a big save on Tatsuhiro Sakamoto to keep it level. It looked a clear foul on Makosso in the box, which the referee didn’t blow for and it gave the Japanese forward the chance for a shot which Cumming tipped behind on his 100th appearance.
The big chance fell for United on the 36th minute. Makosso intercepted a Coventry pass and send Placheta through on goal. From the angle on the right, the Polish winger tried to curl the ball into the opposite top corner and scooped his shot over the bar.
It was a fast start for the hosts in the second half, but they couldn’t get a shot on target until the hour mark, where Cumming had to react low to his right to keep out a powerful Romaine Esse drive.
On the 74th minute a ball into the box caused chaos with Cumming out to try and clear, but the ball fell to a Coventry player and Helik had to be on the line to block the shot.
It got more difficult on the 77th minute with Will Lankshear sent off. Running for a ball, he shoulder barged his defender and the referee deemed it a second yellow offence.
Wright had a big chance on 81 minutes as he was sent through on goal down the left channel but sent his shot into the side netting.
Still, United scrapped their way through to the final whistle, earning a huge point in the battle against relegation.
Next up, a home tie against Norwich City on Tuesday night and a big game under the lights.
Coventry City: Rushworth, Dasilva, Grimes, Sakamoto, Wright, Esse, Latibeaudiere, Woolfenden, Van Eqijk, Eccles, Torp
Subs: Wilson, Thomas, Rudoni, Simms, Kitching, Onyeka, Yang, Kesler-Hayden, Bidwell
Oxford United: Cumming, Long (Spencer 57’), Brown, Helik, Placheta (Lankshear 57’), Brannagan, Emakhu (Harris 70’), Roosken (Davies 86’), Makosso, McDonnell, Peart-Harris (Romeny 70’)
Subs: Ingram, Vaulks, Konak, Jin Woo