Leeds v Southampton LIVE: Championship play-off final result and reaction as Saints dramatically promoted
Leeds 0-1 Southampton: Adam Armstrong’s first-half goal enough to send the Saints back into the Premier League
Southampton won promotion back to the Premier League after beating Leeds 1-0 in the Championship play-off final at Wembley, earning an immediate return to the top tier following relegation last May.
Adam Armstrong was the Southampton matchwinner as his first-half goal was enough to see off a Leeds side that struggled to muster a meaningful response, with substitute Daniel James coming closest after his shot thundered against the bar late in the second half.
Southampton will join Leicester and Ipswich in the Premier League next season, the latter being promoted after a 22-year absence from the top flight, while the Foxes also returned at the first attempt after relegation last year.
Meanwhile, Leeds, whose ownership group contains major-winning golfers Jordan Spieth and Justin Thomas, suffered more play-off heartache as they failed to go up via the route for a sixth time. After winning only one of their last six regular-season games to miss out on automatic promotion, questions will also be raised about the future of manager Daniel Farke.
Relive the clash with our blog below:
SAVE! Leeds 0-0 Southampton
13 mins: And now the first save of the game. Smallbone goes for goal with a free-kick from 30 yards and Meslier springs to his right to push the ball behind for a corner. Decent enough strike.
Meslier then flaps at the cross from the subsequent corner but it runs harmlessly through. This is much better from Southampton
CHANCE! Leeds 0-0 Southampton
12 mins: Southampton finally get their foot on the ball and play it around the back before attacking at pace. Nice work by Aribo in the build-up and Armstrong into the box on the right-hand side, cuts it back for Smallbone and only a desperate diving block by Rodon stops the shot going on target. Superb defending.
Leeds 0-0 Southampton
9 mins: Southampton look completely rattled here. This time Rutter darts into the box and only some panicked defending gets the ball away from him before a sliced clearance.
Firpo then slips in the wet and catches Brooks near halfway to give away the free-kick - some relief for Southampton at last.
Leeds 0-0 Southampton
7 mins: Summerville curls in the free-kick and Rodon leaps to keep the ball in play and nod it back across before Southampton thump clear. A bright start by Leeds, who have settled the better.
And Leeds come forward again - Gnonto into a shooting position and let’s fly but the connection isn’t right and it’s a simple gather for McCarthy in the Saints goal. Downes put Gnonto off well there.
Leeds 0-0 Southampton
6 mins: Most of the play in the Southampton half early on and Leeds livewire Gnonto has a dart down the right. Southampton’s attempt to play out from the back ends with Bednarek clumsily knocking the ball out of play.
Downes then commits the foul to give Leeds a free-kick out on the left which can be whipped in.
Leeds 0-0 Southampton
4 mins: Archie Gray, who becomes the youngest Leeds player to play at Wembley, strides forward with the ball after advantage was played for a foul on Rutter and lashes a shot at goal from 25 yards. It fizzes wide but good intent from the youngster.
Leeds 0-0 Southampton
It’s wet at Wembley
Leeds 0-0 Southampton
2 mins: Decent link-up between Gnonto and Gruev as Leeds probe early on but the ball runs out for a goal-kick. Southampton play it short, as is their MO under manager Russell Martin who prefers an extreme possession-based style.
KICK-OFF! Leeds 0-0 Southampton
The players look sodden but we’re underway at Wembley! Leeds or Southampton - who will secure an immediate Premier League return? £100m+ on the line for each club.
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