Sunderland will face Sheffield United within the Championship playoff closing after Daniel Ballard’s header within the closing seconds of additional time snatched a 1-1 dwelling draw towards Coventry Metropolis on Tuesday to safe a 3-2 mixture victory.
The hosts have been closing in on a spot within the Could 24 closing at Wembley after Friday’s 2-1 first-leg win, however Coventry’s Ephron Mason-Clark levelled the tie quarter-hour from time, beating his marker to attain with a low shot.
Whereas Frank Lampard’s Coventry seemed the higher crew all through, Sunderland got here alive in additional time and Ballard despatched the Stadium of Mild into raptures within the 123rd minute, rising to crash dwelling a header from Enzo Le Payment’s nook.
Sunderland, who have been winless of their closing six common season video games, knew the risks of getting forward of themselves, having held a 2-1 benefit after the primary leg of their 2022-23 playoff semifinal towards Luton City solely to lose the return fixture 2-0.
Regis Le Bris’ aspect will hope to return to the Premier League for the primary time since 2017, whereas Sheffield United is seeking to return to the highest flight after an absence of only one yr.
The playoff closing is probably the most profitable one-off match in world soccer, with Sunderland in line to get an estimated income uplift of round £200 million ($260 million) in projected matchday, broadcast and business income — and rather more if the crew was to outlive the primary season again within the high flight.
For Sheffield United, the uplift could be an estimated $180 million because the membership remains to be benefitting from parachute funds from the final time the crew was within the Premier League within the 2023-24 season.
Info from Reuters and The Related Press was used on this report.
