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The Sky Blues had not played at home in this competition since 2001, but substitute Millar's breakaway finish – set up by the excellent Mohamed Belloumi – ruined the big occasion at CBS Arena.

Hull, promoted after winning the EFL Championship play-off final last season, was up against it for long periods versus Frank Lampard's Championship winner, which finished 22 points ahead of the Tigers in 2025-2026, but fought hard for a second win in as many top-flight games this season.

Sergej Jakirovic's side was also indebted to an outstanding Konstantinos Tzolakis, who produced one stunning first-half stop against Taiwo Awoniyi from point-blank range.

Awoniyi had earlier seen a drive well blocked by Nobel Mendy before Loum Tchaouna hammered over as Coventry looked to mark its top-flight return at home with a rapid start.

Awoniyi headed off target again soon after from Matt Grimes’s cross, albeit the offside flag belatedly went up, with Coventry pinning in its visitors.

Elliot Stroud kept Carl Rushworth on his toes down the other end, arrowing a long-range strike wide, before Tzolakis thwarted Awoniyi’s downward header.

Tzolakis pulled off his eye-catching stop before half-time, going at full stretch to tip wide after Caleb Yirenkyi’s right-sided cross found Awoniyi inside the six-yard box.

Centre-back Mendy almost stunned Coventry after the interval, smashing a half-volley from distance that Rushworth parried, before Regan Slater’s inviting low delivery went without reward.

Coventry then ramped up the pressure but should have been punished with 15 minutes remaining, when substitute Millar dragged wide after ignoring an unmarked Belloumi.

But Hull did not rue that miss as Belloumi controlled well inside his own half and released Millar, who burst away and slotted into the bottom-right corner to snatch a valuable three points for the visitors.