COVENTRY, England (March 11, 2026) (Interstat) — Coventry City opened its English Championship season with a commanding 3-0 victory over Preston North End on Wednesday at Coventry Building Society Arena.

The home side controlled the match from the start. Tatsuhiro Sakamoto opened the scoring in the 17th minute, and Brandon Thomas-Asante doubled the lead in the 34th. Midfielder Matt Grimes added a third goal after halftime to seal the dominant win.

The result defied a pregame projection from Interstat, which simulated a 1-1 draw despite giving Coventry City a 92.2% probability to win. Preston North End failed to generate significant offense in the loss.

With the victory, Coventry City begins the campaign with a win, while Preston North End starts with a loss.