Viktor Gyökeres' second-half strike clinched victory, as the Sky Blues earned all three points against Stoke City
Heading into the match as the 9th and 10th-placed sides in the Championship, the game started out a cagey one, with neither side able to break the deadlock.
As the clocked ticked along, the Sky Blues ramped up the pressure, making advantage of the home crowd support.
City took the lead midway through the second half when Viktor Gyökeres rifled an effort home from distance, nestling in the bottom corner, to seal the win for the hosts.
The visitors started brightly through Tom Ince and Sam Clucas, but Dom Hyam was on hand to block the pair’s two early attempts.
Viktor Gyökeres spearheaded the Sky Blues side and continuously caused Phil Jagielka trouble in one-on-one situations, spinning the veteran defender and firing low to force Jack Bonham into a save.
The Swede popped up again moments later, capitalising on James Chester’s misplaced pass and firing a shot on goal, in what was the City's first clear-cut chance of the match.
A series of intricate attacks followed, as Josh Eccles and Jamie Allen looked to set up the opener, but the Sky Blues were unable to find the breakthrough goal.
HALF-TIME: Sky Blues 0-0 Stoke City
Two chances followed in quick successions to open the half, with Jordan Shipley coming close to grabbing his second goal in as many games, before Eccles’ glancing header sailed narrowly past the post from the resulting corner.
The Sky Blues continued to be the dominant force in the tie and took a deserved lead through Gyökeres, who latched onto Ben Sheaf’s slide rule pass and fired into the bottom corner from range.
Second-half substitute Martyn Waghorn nearly doubled City’s lead, picking up the ball on the half turn and unleashing a shot just past Bonham’s post from 25-yards-out.
In search of an equaliser, The Potters camer forward, channeling the majority of their attaks through Jaden Philogene-Bidace, but the visitors lacked a finishing touch.
FULL-TIME: Sky Blues 1-0 Stoke City
SCORER: Viktor Gyökeres (67’)
YELLOW CARDS: Ben Sheaf (29’), Jake Clarke-Salter (52’), Phil Jagielka (87')
ATTENDANCE: 16,860 (1928 away)
Sky Blues XI: Simon Moore (GK), Dom Hyam, Kyle McFadzean (C), Jake Clarke-Salter, Jake Bidwell, Josh Eccles (Julien Dacosta 89'), Ben Sheaf, Gustavo Hamer (Callum O’Hare 65’), Jordan Shipley (Martyn Waghorn 65’), Jamie Allen, Viktor Gyökeres.
Subs: Ben Wilson (GK), Michael Rose, Josh Reid, Fabio Tavares.
Stoke City XI: Jack Bonham, Tom Smith, Taylor Harwood-Bellis, Phil Jagielka, James Chester (C) (Nick Powell 74’), Josh Tymon, Lewis Baker, Sam Clucas (Joe Allen 59’), Tom Ince, Jacob Brown, D’Margio Wright-Phillips (Jaden Philogene-Bidace 59’).
Unused subs: Frank Fielding, Morgan Fox, Mario Vrancic, Tyrese Campbell.