Sheffield Wednesday 1 Sunderland 1: Story of the night as Patrick Roberts goal sends Cats to League One play-off final at Wembley
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Patrick Roberts scored a dramatic stoppage-time equaliser to put the Black Cats 2-1 ahead on aggregate.
It came after Wednesday striker Lee Gregory levelled the score, and the match looked set to go to extra-time before Roberts’ late finish.
Sunderland will now face Wycombe Wanderers in the final at Wembley Stadium later this month.
Here’s how the match played out:
RECAP: Sheffield Wednesday 1 (Gregory, 73) Sunderland 1 (Roberts, 90+4)
Key Events
- Sunderland XI: Patterson, Wright, Batth, Cirkin, Gooch, Evans, O’Nien, Clarke (Doyle, 90+8), Roberts (Broadheadat 90+7), Pritchard (Matete, 90+7), Stewart
- Subs: Hoffmann, Doyle, Hume, Matete, Neil, Embleton, Broadhead
- Sheffield Wednesday XI: Peacock-Farrell, Hunt (Mendez-Laing, 70) , Storey, Dean, Hutchinson (Palmer, 70), Johnson, Byers (Berahino, 90+5), Luongo, Bannan, Windass (Paterson, 78), Gregory
- Subs: Wildsmith, Palmer, Dunkley, Mendez-Laing, Paterson, Berahino, Kamberi
8’ Important block from Wright
That was Wednesday’s first real attack after Luongo set up Johnson on the left and the latter’s cross was stopped by Wright on the stretch.
The Sunderland centre-back has gone down and is receiving some treatment for what looks like a head injury.
He’s back on his feet now.
3’ Looks like a back four again
Looks like Sunderland have started with a back four of Gooch, Wright, Batth and Cirkin.
Roberts is on the right and Clarke on the left.
The hosts have started well and were appealing for a free-kick on the edge of the box when Pritchard collided with Dean.
Nothing was given.
Sunderland warming up as a back three
Sunderland are warming up as a back three of Wright, Batth and Cirkin.
What to make of that side
So for the first time as Sunderland boss Alex Neil has named the same starting XI for two consecutive matches.
It could be a change of shape with Lynden Gooch and Jack Clarke playing as the wing-backs, or it could be a back four again.
Nathan Broadhead is back on the bench!
Wednesday have made two changes from the first leg with Jack Hunt and Josh Windass replacing Liam Palmer and Saido Berahino.