Oli McBurnie scored the opener in injury time to secure Hull City’s dramatic promotion to the Premier League with a 1-0 win over Middlesbrough at Wembley.
After a tense Championship play-off final, McBurnie capitalized on Sol Brynn’s poor goalkeeping to secure victory in the 95th minute.
It means the Tigers return to the top tier for the first time in nine years after spending 2020/21 in League One, making them the first team to win the play-offs since 2010 in sixth place.
Last season, only goal difference was maintained. This time I was promoted.
For Boro, they will be back in the Championship next season after all the emotion and fallout from the ‘Spygate’ saga which saw them return to the play-offs just days ago.
The ‘Spygate’ saga overshadows the pre-game build-up
It was the final build-up to the playoffs, completely dominated by the ‘Spygate’ series.
Middlesbrough were not sure they would play until less than 72 hours before kick-off. Southampton were sent off on Tuesday night and their appeal was dismissed late on Wednesday night.
Despite all that, and a defeat on the pitch in the semi-final, Boro arrived in full force, with a defiant sea of red filling half of the Wembley bowl, opposite the amber glow emanating from the other side.
McBurney’s late goal ends a tense Wembley affair
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Oli McBurnie scored Hull City’s second-half win in the Championship play-off final.
It was a typical first half of a play-off final with neither team really getting close until the end of the first half when McBurnie caught Ryan Giles’ cross but headed it against the bar.
And that would be our last real opportunity until later that day.
The game seemed to be meandering towards extra-time until substitute Yu Hirakawa’s cross into the box saw Boro goalkeeper Brynn calmly push past McBurnie who finished the play before sending the Boro supporters into a frenzy.
Hull, who were imposed a transfer ban and missed the play-offs ahead of the final day of the regular season, are due to play in the Premier League next season.
McBurney final: ‘I was written to get it’
It may not have been as spectacular a strike as Hull’s last two play-off finalists – Dean Windass in 2008 and Mo Diame in 2016 – but it will undoubtedly go down as an Oli McBurnie final.
McBurnie joined Hull from Las Palmas before the start of the season and insisted from the start that he was not leaving Gran Canaria to return to the Championship for a ‘mediocre project’.
I don’t think even he would have expected this season to end the way Hull did.
“I feel speechless for the first time!” he said sky sports.
“It’s been a long, difficult season and today’s game summed it up for us. We knew we weren’t going to have all the ball. I don’t think we’ve won a single game this year when we’ve had the ball more than the opposition!
“It was a tough situation with the heat and Middlesbrough are a top, top team. We knew we would go right up against it, but we felt we would have one chance and we were drafted to get it.”
“I never thought it would be this late. How does it feel?”
Sky Sports’ curtis davis:
“It wasn’t a very good quality game and I felt like my legs were very tired.” Davis, who was part of the Hull team that won the title in 2016, said: sky sports.
“We were waiting for the extra time and seeing how much quality would improve.
“I thought it would have been a good moment in extra-time or a mistake. Unfortunately, Saul Breen made a mistake but Ollie McBurney didn’t.”
“We talked about him being a difference-maker. He didn’t have much to do in the game and he was almost exhausted.
“But when his moment came he went there and did it. He sent Hull to the Premier League.”
Jakirovic: I can’t believe we did it
Hull City head coach Sergei Zakirovic speaking sky sports:
“It feels amazing. I was in so much pain throughout the game that I still can’t believe we did it.
“It was like the regular season was over and we were starting a whole new tournament, regardless of points.
“It’s about pressure. During the regular season, you have time to fix everything.
“This is a very demanding and difficult league. I have worked in Türkiye, Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina and it is a little different.
“The intensity that comes with so many games is unbelievable.”
