Watson and Le Fee combined in midfield to find Roberts, who had wandered over from the right to get involved. He slipped a gorgeous angled pass to release Mayenda, who cushioned the ball on the run and slammed it past Cooper. That’s a seriously good goal.
Sheffield United v Sunderland: Championship playoff final – live | Championship
Published: 2025-05-24 16:44:07 | Views: 6
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GOAL! Sheff Utd 1-1 Sunderland (Mayenda 76)
And just like that, Sunderland are level with a terrific goal!
75 min Moore is about to shoot from 20 yards when Bellingham picks his pocket. Sunderland started the second half well but right now United look the likelier scorers.
73 min: Double substitution for Sunderland Tom Watson and Wilson Isidor come on for the captain Dan Neil and Romaine Mundle.
72 min: Sheff Utd Ben Brereton Diaz replaces Gus Hamer, who made Tyrese Campbell’s goal and has been the best attacking player on the pitch by a mile. He’s such a lovely footballer.
71 min Gus Hamer needs to come off. I’m not sure what happened but he’s limping off the field very slowly.
Vital save by Patterson!
69 min Cirkin dithers over a bouncing ball and is muscled aside by Brooks. He moves into the area and sweeps a shot from 15 yards that Patterson saves crucially with his legs. He’d already dived the other way – Brooks gave him the eyes – but was able to keep it out nonetheless.
68 min Mundle pulls back VInicius Siuza and is booked for tactical foulery.
67 min A promising low cross from Cirkin is turned behind for a corner by Vinicius Souza. Sunderland are 6-1 up on that score.
Alas, most of the corners have been crap and this is no exception. It’s cleared at the near post and looped back onto the roof of the net by Roberts. Cooper had it covered.
65 min: Double substitution for Sheffield United Callum O’Hare and Andre Brooks replace Rhian Brewster and Tyrese Campbell, whose immaculate finish separates the sides.
64 min Sheffield United are having a decent spell of possession, sparked inevitably by Gus Hamer. He’s played some fine passes today, none better than for the goal.
63 min “Having no dog in the fight, I have to find a different way to choose who to support,” says Matt Dony. “Chris Mepham for Sunderland, or Kieffer Moore and Adam Davies for Sheffield United. It’s a simple question of maths, I guess. Up the Blades!”
Sunderland do have Harrison Jones on the bench, though I think he was born in York.
62 min Robinson’s long throw is claimed well under pressure by Patterson. He’s been nigh-on flawless so far.
59 min The first yellow card goes to Brewster for an inept lunge at Mundle.
58 min: Sunderland substitution Patrick Roberts replace 17-year-old Chris Rigg on the right wing.
57 min Le Fee, hitherto quiet, surges into the area and whacks a right-foot shot that is well blocked by Robinson.
56 min No shots on target at either end in the second half but Sheffield United’s defenders are closer to the seat of their pants than they were in the first half. It’s a much better game now.
53 min More pressure from Sunderland, sparked by a run and deflected cross from Mundle. But then Sheffield United break two on two and Sunderland are suddenly in trouble.
Moore’s shot is superbly blocked and deflects to Brewster, arriving on the scene in support. His touch is heavy and Rigg flies into a desperate but important tackle. He had to get that right in his own penalty area.
51 min Sunderland have started the second half with greater intensity. Mundle looks especially lively, though as I type that he wafts the ball high and wide from distance.
47 min Mundle finds the underlapping Cirkin, who wins an early corner for Sunderland. It’s taken short and wasted when Rigg’s cross goes out of play.
46 min Sunderland get the second half under way. No substitutions yet.
Half-time reading
Half time: Sheffield United 1-0 Sunderland
Sheffield United are one step closer to promotion after a quietly dominant first half at Wembley. Tyrese Campbell’s lovely counter-attacking goal separates the sides and United have carried the greater threat despite having less of the ball.
Anthony Patterson made an astounding save in the second minute to deny Kieffer Moore, with Sunderland defender Luke O’Nien disclocating his shoulder in the same incident. Harrison Burrows then had a goal disallowed for offside after a VAR intervention.
At the other end, Sunderland’s only real chance was headed over by Eliezer Mayenda. Neat and tidy though they are in possession, Sunderland have been all hat and no cattle.
45+7 min More urgency from Sunderland as half-time approaches. But Sheffield United continue to keep them at arm’s length without too much difficulty. The Sky commentators think we may see Wilson Isidor at the start of the second half.
45+4 min Excellent defending from Robinson, who steps across to take Mundle’s low cross of the toe of Mayenda near the penalty spot. A split-second later and Mayenda would have got a shot in.
45 min O’Nien’s injury and the VAR check mean there will be eight minutes of added time.
44 min “Afternoon Rob,” says Simon McMahon. “One game in Scotland today, the East of Scotland cup final between Downfield and Coupar Angus Scottish Cup final between Celtic and Aberdeen. Aberdeen playing the Sunderland role at Hampden, having finished 39 points behind Celtic in the league. Nearly half a hour gone, and no goals yet. But that was also the case when these two teams met in the Scottish League Cup semi-final earlier in the season, and that ended 6-0 to Celtic. So I wouldn’t get my hopes up if I was an Aberdeen fan.”
Especially now they’ve gone 1-0 down.
42 min After another dangerous break from United, Moore overhits an outside-of-the-boot cross towards Campbell. Even without the ball, they have the game under control right now. They look a lot more streetwise than Sunderland.
40 min Sunderland have had 60 per cent of the possession. They’ve struggled to create chances, though, with only Muyenda’s header coming to mind. Sheffield United look the more threatening team.
NO GOAL! Sheff Utd 1-0 Sunderland
37 min Yep, the goal is ruled out. Chris Kavanagh announces the decision to the crowd, a needless humiliation for him, but it was a fair call.
36 min: Chris Kavanagh is going to the monitor! That means the player, Vini Souza I think, was in an offside position, so it’s a subjective decision for the referee.
Harrison Burrows has now scored two and made three in the playoffs alone. Hamer’s corner was headed away to the edge of the D, where Burrows struck a half-volley that bobbled through the crowd and past the unsighted Patterson.
There was a player right next to Patterson but he may have been played onside by Bellingham. VAR check incoming.
GOAL! Sheff Utd 2-0 Sunderland (Burrows 34)
Sunderland have gone 2-0 down!
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