Sunderland secured promotion to the Premier League on Saturday after defeating Sheffield United 2-1 with a unprecedented injury-time winner within the “most precious match” in soccer, because the is thought.
For a lot of the sport, Sunderland was trailing 1-0 after took the lead early on by way of a sweeping counterattacking transfer completed off by Tyrese Campbell.
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However the Blades spurned a number of probabilities to place the sport past Sunderland’s attain and the Black Cats equalized within the 76th minute as Eliezer Mayenda rifled the ball into the web.
And 19-year-old Tom Watson accomplished Sunderland’s unlikely comeback deep into injury-time, propelling one in every of English soccer’s most historic golf equipment again into the Premier League for the primary time since 2017 and sending its followers inside Wembley Stadium into delirium.
Since that relegation in 2017, the Black Cats even suffered a four-season-long stint in League One, an ignominy depicted within the standard Netflix present “Sunderland ‘Til I Die.”
They ultimately received promotion again to the Championship in 2022 and can now be a part of Leeds United and Burnley in securing promotion again to the Premier League this season.
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“I believe my celebration says all of it,” Watson, who’s leaving Sunderland to hitch Brighton, informed broadcaster Sky Sports activities. “Simply go searching, it’s unbelievable. We’ll see one another within the Premier League subsequent yr.
“I’ve been serious about it for weeks. My story was written after I got here off the bench. I couldn’t have pictured it any higher.”
Sunderland followers rejoice their staff’s dramatic win. – Hannah McKay/Reuters
Sunderland was on the again foot from the very begin of the sport – within the opening two minutes, its membership captain Luke O’Nien was pressured off with a shoulder damage as he tried to defend in opposition to Kieffer Moore’s header. The Black Cats’ solely comfort as O’Nien walked off the pitch was that some sensible goalkeeping from Anthony Patterson prevented Sheffield United from taking the lead.
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However within the twenty fifth minute, the Blades went forward when Gustavo Hamer poached the ball from a wayward Sunderland nook, scampered upfield and located Campbell who chipped the ball into the web.
With the prospect to play within the Premier League the prize on supply, the celebrations after each aim had been fraught with emotion and, on this occasion, Campbell was buried underneath a pile of Sheffield United gamers.
Simply 10 minutes later the Blades thought they’d doubled their lead when Harrison Burrows discovered the again of the web after Sunderland’s protection cleared a nook solely so far as the sting of the field. Nevertheless, the aim was disallowed after a Video Assistant Referee examine decided Vini Souza was in an offside place.
And the Blades had been left to rue that miss alternative, in addition to one other within the 69th minute when Patterson as soon as once more stopped a near-certain aim.
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The momentum was starting to show and 7 minutes later Sunderland strung a collection of passes collectively that scythed by way of the Sheffield United midfield, permitting Mayenda to search out the again of the web.
O’Nien, his arm in a sling, joined his teammates in celebrating, later telling Sky Sports activities he “lined extra distance” celebrating his staff’s two targets than he did taking part in.
The Black Cats stored urgent and, within the ninety fifth minute, that they had their reward when Watson pounced on a free go and despatched the ball into the web for the late winner, making certain that Sunderland grew to become the primary staff in 29 years to win a Championship play-off remaining after trailing at halftime.
This story has been up to date with extra developments.
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