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Showing posts with the label Playoffs

EFL: Southampton will return to the Premier League

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Leeds United 0 - 1 Southampton Southampton defeated Leeds in the Championship play-off final, ensuring a swift return to the Premier League and the £140 million prize that comes with it. The Saints’ 11-year tenure in the top flight ended after a dismal campaign last season . Despite finishing one place and three points behind Leeds in fourth, it’s Southampton who join Leicester and Ipswich in promotion. Adam Armstrong scored the decisive goal with a clinical finish after being set up by Will Smallbone. Leeds substitute Dan James hit the crossbar late on as they pressed for an equaliser, but Russell Martin’s team held on through nearly 12 minutes of added time. This defeat means Leeds face another season in the Championship and have now lost their past three finals at Wembley without scoring, remaining unsuccessful in all six of their play-off campaigns. This is the place for all the latest EFL news and stories (eurosuperfootball.blogspot.com) EFL: Leeds United reach Championship Pl

EFL: Championship beckons for Oxford United

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Bolton Wanderers 0 - 2 Oxford United  Josh Murphy's double helped his Oxford United side stun Bolton Wanderers in the League One play-off final at Wembley. In what was a cagey first half, Oxford took the lead on the 30 minute mark. Josh Murphy curled a deflected strike home from the edge of the box. Murphy had only 11 minutes to wait for his next goal. This came via a Ruben Rodriguez pass that carved Bolton open, as he slotted the ball in at Nathan Baxter's near post. Oxford United finished the game in dreamland. For Bolton Wanderers, it's another season in League One. The scenes at the end of the match displayed those contrasting emotions.   Exciting future plans for Oxford United Joshua Murphy. Immortal. pic.twitter.com/C4k61SPybm — Oxford United FC (@OUFCOfficial) May 18, 2024 With plans for a new stadium on the horizon, Oxford will be hoping that promotion to the Championship with the backing of over 30,000 supporters at Wembley is a reason to be optimistic ab

EFL: The Saints march on

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Southampton 3 - 1 West Brom Southampton are set to face Leeds United in the Championship play-off final, following a dazzling second-half display that secured their victory over West Bromwich Albion. After a goalless first leg, Saints midfielder Will Smallbone broke the deadlock in the second leg, curling a shot from an angle into the top right corner of Baggies keeper Alex Palmer's net from just inside the box. Adam Armstrong doubled Southampton's lead, igniting a celebratory atmosphere in the stadium with just over ten minutes left on the clock. The hosts' spot at Wembley was sealed when Armstrong scored his second goal from the penalty spot after Ryan Manning was fouled, rendering Cedric Kipre's injury-time header for the visitors merely a consolation. Southampton supporters turned out in their thousands, gathering outside the stadium with red and white flares, lining the streets more than two hours before kick-off. Pyrotechnics and flamethrowers added to the el

EFL: Leeds United reach Championship Play-Off final

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Leeds United 4 - 0 Norwich City  There was a fantastic atmosphere at Elland Road before the match. After a dill and dreary stalemate in the first leg, Leeds United were out to shine against Norwich City. The home side, who finished three places and 17 points above the Canaries, took a deserved early lead. Ilia Gruev's long-range free-kick beat Angus Gunn at his near post. Elland Road was bouncing Joel Piroe then made it 2-0 when he headed in Willy Gnonto's deep cross to the far post. Norwich keeper Gunn was caught in no man's land, this left them 2-0 early on and with a mountain to climb. Despite their poor performance, they did have opportunities that, if scored, would have made a game of it. They should have pulled one back immediately. Josh Sargent was thwarted by keeper Illan Meslier one-on-one.  This is the place for all the latest EFL news and stories (eurosuperfootball.blogspot.com) EFL: We all love the drama of the playoffs. (eurosuperfootball.blogspot.com) It

Non League: Bromley promoted to the EFL

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 Bromley 2 - 2 Solihull Moors  Bromley won 4-3 on penalties Bromley won on penalties against Solihull Moors  to secure a dramatic promotion to the English Football League for the first time in the club's 132-year history. Captain Byron Webster scored the winning penalty to maintain his 100% winning record at Wembley with four victories.  Bromley took the lead twice through their top scorer Michael Cheek, who calmly placed the ball into the bottom corner to open the scoring. Joe Sbarra equalized for Solihull shortly after the half-time break, but Cheek won and converted a penalty to put his side back in front.  This is the place for all the latest EFL news and stories (eurosuperfootball.blogspot.com) Click here to find news from the world of Non League Solihull captain Jamey Osborne then equalised for the Moors once again to send the game into extra time. Neither side managed to find a winner, with Ravens substitute Alex Kirk twice hitting the woodwork.  The game then went to

EFL: We all love the drama of the playoffs.

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They were first introduced to the EFL in 1987 and have been staged after every season since. Some hate them and others love them.  Let's explore some of their greatest matches. They were first introduced to the EFL in 1987 and have been staged after every season since. Some hate them and others love them. Let's explore some of their greatest matches. This is the place for all the latest EFL news and stories (eurosuperfootball.blogspot.com) Sheffield Wednesday 5 - 1 Peterborough United  (The match finished 5-5 on aggregate, Sheffield Wednesday won 5-3 on penalties.) Sheffield Wednesday pulled one of the greatest playoff comebacks in English Football League history to beat Peterborough United on penalties. After losing the first game 4-0, very few people believed they would progress to Wembley. That's exactly what happened. They reached the final and eventually gained promoted to the Championship. This match was the highlight on that journey. Just after the match, James, a S

EFL: Luton promoted to the Premier League

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Coventry City 1 -1 Luton Town (Luton won 6-5 on penalties.) Luton Town completed their journey from non-league to Premier League. Both sets of fans created an incredible atmosphere during the match They beat Coventry City on penalties to win the Championship play-off final at Wembley. Away from the raucous atmosphere of the play-off semi-final at Kenilworth Road, some were concerned that Luton might struggle in the more vast space of Wembley. However, they were by far the more dominant side before the break. Aside from the one goal they did score, they had two more disallowed - and a string of other dangerous moments too. Gustavo Hamer equalised for Coventry as the game finished in a 1-1 draw after 120 minutes. Click here to find more Luton Town news and stories. Regrets for Coventry Coventry fans outside the stadium Coventry dominated in spells of the second half but extra-time seemed inevitable. Luton had the ball in the back of the net inside the first five minutes,

EFL: Sheffield Wednesday complete comeback for the ages

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Sheffield Wednesday 5 - 1 Peterborough United  (The match finished 5-5 on aggregate, Sheffield Wednesday won 5-3 on penalties.) Sheffield Wednesday pulled one of the greatest playoff comebacks in English Football League history to beat Peterborough United on penalties. Substitute Jack Hunt scored the fifth penalty as the Owls, who had trailed 4-0 from the first leg, secured their place at Wembley in the League One play-off final. Throughout the match, people were discussing what was happening on social media. Very few people expected Wednesday to turn this match around.  How did that happen? The home side made the perfect start when Michael Smith slotted home a penalty in the opening 10 minutes to give the home fans renewed hope a miracle could be on the cards before Lee Gregory tapped in to make it 2-0 after 25 minutes. Great half! Keep this going, lads! 🔵⚪️ #SHWPET pic.twitter.com/Lou457eA5g — Sheffield Wednesday (@swfc) May 18, 2023 The home side continued to pour forwar

EFL: Luton are one game from the Premier League

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 Luton Town 2 - 0 Sunderland (Luton won 2-0 on aggregate) Luton booked their spot in the Championship play-off final after a fantastic 2-0 second-leg win saw them beat Sunderland 3-2 on aggregate.  You can watch the highlights in the video below. Match report Trailing 2-1 following the first game at the Stadium of Light, Luton turned their aerial threat into a reward as centre-backs Gabriel Osho and Tom Lockyer scored before the break. Roared on by a raucous home support inside their Kenilworth Road home, Luton should have made it three when keeper Anthony Patterson misdirected a clearance, and Jordan Clark then blazed wastefully over. <Click here for more Luton Town news> More heroics from Luton Town Luton Town are one win away from returning to the top flight of English football for the first time since 1992. They were relegated from the old first division in the season before the introduction of the Premier League. Marvelous Nakamba tweeted: "A massive win and amazing

EFL: Greatest ever play-off matches

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 We all love the drama of the playoffs.  They are a series of matches contested by the four football teams that finish below the automatic promotion places in the second, third and fourth tiers of English football. They were first introduced to the EFL in 1987 and have been staged after every season since. Some hate them and others love them. Let's explore some of their greatest matches. <Click here to find more news and stories from the English Football League> Reading 2-4 Swansea: 2011 Championship play-off final. Swansea stormed into a 3-0 lead come the end of the first half. However, a two-goal comeback from Reading after half-time tested the nerve of the Welsh side. A young Scott Sinclair then bagged a hat-trick to ensure Swansea became the first Welsh side to play in the Premier League. This would mark the start of a memorable period for the club. In 2013, they won the EFL Cup.  Nottingham Forest 2-5 Yeovil: 2007 League One play-off semi-final.  One to forget for Fo