Report: Coventry City 0 Albion 5

Five different goalscorers with Kostoulas, Yalcouye, Gross, Dunk and Ayari on target as Albion thrash promoted Sky Blues.

Bruce Talbot

2026-09-13T16:00+01:00

On target: Babis Kostoulas celebrates after volleying Albion in front. 📷James Boardman

Albion cruised to their second Premier League win of the season and had five different goalscorers in a clinical display against promoted Coventry at the CBS Arena.

Babis Kostoulas broke the deadlock with a superb close-range volley before Malick Yalcouye raced clear of the home defence and fired past Carl Rushworth seven minutes into the second half.

Coventry lost striker Taiwo Awoniyi to a straight red card shortly afterwards and Pascal Gross made it 3-0 from the penalty spot when Kosatoulas was brought down.

Skipper Lewis Dunk found the top corner with a brilliant strike from 30 yards before Yasin Ayari rounded this off in stoppage time with a powerful finish into the corner.

Malick Yalcouye slots home Albion's second and his second goal of the season. 📷James Boardman

Albion had been in control in the early stages but frustratingly failed to turn their superiority into goals.

The chances were created.

Diego Gomez volleyed into the side netting from six yards, Kostoulas headed Gross’s pinpoint free kick wide and then found the side netting from the corner of the six-yard box after Yalcouye’s shot was blocked.

The midfielder had another chance on 18 minutes but shot straight at Rushworth after Coventry were opened up on their right.

Despite lots of Albion possession Rushworth hadn’t had much to do and it was his former teammate Bart Verbruggen who had to stretch his right hand to keep out Jack Rudoni’s volley on 27 minutes. Bobby Thomas lifted the rebound over the bar but it was a warning for Albion.

Led by Babis Kostoulas, the Albion players congratulate Pascal Gross after his penalty made it 3-0. 📷James Boardman

Coventry threatened again and Verbruggen denied them again when he turned Frank Onyeka’s powerful volley over the bar but it was Kostoluas who broke the deadlock on 35 minutes.

The move began when Ayari won the ball in his own box and Albion swept upfield. Gross provided the assist with a clever pass and Kostoulas’s touch took him between two defenders before a powerful volley flew into the far corner from close range.

If that was a stylish finish so was Yalcouye’s six minutes into the second half.

The midfielder won one challenge just inside the Coventry half and then outpaced Ethan Pinnock before firing left-footed inside Rushworth’s near post to make it 2-0.

Coventry’s afternoon got even worse moments later when Awoniyi got a straight red card for an elbow to Max De Cuyper’s face.

Babis Kostoulas volleys Albion in front at the CBS Arena. 📷James Boardman

Albion were in complete control and Coventry had no complaints when Thomas’s mis-timed challenge brought down Kostoulas in the box on 70 minutes and Gross drove the penalty down the middle, as Rushworth moved to his left.

Fabian Hurzeler used the opportunity to run his bench with Chema Andres making his debut and there was still time for Albion to score two more goals.

When an attack broke down in the 84th minute Dunk took possession 30 yards out and sent a right-foot shot dipping under the bar and into the top left-hand corner. A goal of the season contender with the campaign only three weeks old!

Diego Gomez at full stretch in a congested midfield. 📷James Boardman

There was time for a fifth in the fourth minute of stoppage time. A Gross turn and pass found Ayari in the D and he swept the ball into the far corner for 5-0.

The post-match celebrations were long and loud on an afternoon to remember.

Albion: Verbruggen, Boscagli (Osman 78), Dunk, Vuskovic (Struijk 78), De Cuyper, Gross, Ayari, Kadigolu, Gomez (Costinha 84), Yalcouye (Andres 65), Kostoulas (O’Riley 84).