Hull seal dream Premier League return after nine years as Oli McBurnie scores dramatic winner
Hull City have been promoted to the Premier League thanks to a dramatic 1-0 win over Middlesbrough at Wembley.
In the most controversial Championship play-off final ever, the Tigers put a week of huge drama behind them to seal a return to the top-flight thanks to an injury-time winner from Oli McBurnie.
After Middlesbrough earned their spot at Wembley following Southampton’s expulsion, Saturday’s showdown was played under a microscope like no other.
The first-half was a cagey affair as both sides struggled to create clear-cut chances in the sun, and headed in with the score at 0-0.
It was a similar story in the second-half, and the game looked to be heading towards extra-time as fatigue began to set in for the two teams.
But a late twist came in the fourth minute of stoppage time, as Yu Hirakawa’s cross was fumbled by Boro goalkeeper Sol Brynn, who spilled the ball to McBurnie to fire home.
This sparked pandemonium among Hull fans at Wembley, as Hull’s top scorer wrote his name into club folklore just days after missing out on a spot in Scotland’s World Cup squad.
With just minutes remaining, the Tigers then held out to seal an historic win, with players and fans celebrating wildly at full-time.
Sergej Jakirovic’s side will now play in the Premier League for the first-time since 2017, who kept up their stunning play-off record.
Hull have now won all three of their Championship play-off finals at Wembley, having also triumphed in 2008 against Bristol City and in 2016 over Sheffield Wednesday.
Meanwhile they are the first side to finish in sixth-place in the Championship and win promotion since Blackpool in 2010.
Unmatched drama
Victory for Hull came after the build-up to the play-off final was clouded with unprecedented controversy.
Southampton were initially due to face Hull at Wembley after beating Boro in the semi-finals, only to be disqualified after it was confirmed that backroom staff of the south coast side had spied on training sessions in the lead up to their final-four showdown.
An independent panel reviewed all the evidence and the decision by the EFL was to kick the Saints out of the play-offs, with Boro taking their place in today’s clash with Hull.
Saints appealed the decision, which was rejected earlier this week, in a move that divided opinion and even left Hull unhappy.
Ahead of kick-off today, Tigers owner Acun Ilicali told talkSPORT that the club would take legal action if his side lost, stating Boro’s inclusion in the contest despite having already been eliminated from the play-offs was not ‘fair’.
But there will be no complaints from the Yorkshire side now, as they celebrate victory in football’s most expensive game.
‘Speechless’
Match-winner McBurnie struggled to sum up his emotions after a roller coaster week, which saw Hull’s play-off final opponents change within days of their Wembley showdown.
Meanwhile, the Scot also had to put personal disappointment aside, after he was a surprise omission from Steve Clarke’s World Cup squad.
The 29-year-old’s has fired in 19 Championship goals this term, and scored twice on the final day of the season to fire Hull into the final play-off place.
Speaking on the pitch at full-time, McBurnie said: “I’m speechless for the first time ever.
“That game summed us up, we knew we weren’t going to have all the ball.
“It was tough out there with the heat, Middlesbrough are a top team, we knew we’d be up against it but we felt we’d have one chance and I felt like it was written for me to get it, I didn’t think it would be so late on, but what a feeling.”
On his last-gasp winner, he remarked: “[I thought] Just try and get a good contact on it, I’m knackered.
“It just popped up to me. It’s a blur a bit at the minute.
“I couldn’t sleep last night, I was looking forward to this game so much, I am delighted.”
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