Was there a better sight than Luke O’Nien, his right arm cradled in a sling, racing down the touchline, punching the air with his left to celebrate Tommy Watson’s stoppage-time winner?Sunderlandstormed back from a goal down after Tyrese Campbell’s first-half opener to return to the Premier League after eight years away.
Sunderland’s performance was something of a slow-burner but ultimately found two big moments. The first was courtesy of Eliezer Mayenda, who scored with their second shot on goal, and the second will live long in the memory for both the goalscorer and those here to witness it. Watson, the 19-year-old forward who joined his boyhood club as an under-nine, stroked a wonderful shot into the bottom corner in stoppage time, extra time looming. Eventually, with 102 minutes showing on the big screens, confirmation: Sunderland are back in the big time.
As Sheffield United’s players sank to the turf at the final whistle, suddenly Chris Wilder’s pre-match Wembley verdict rang abundantly true. “It’s not a place for losers, is it?”
There was a beautiful contrast as the teams emerged from the tunnel for kick-off. Wilder stood, arms folded, in a jumper, cargo trousers and trainers, while Régis Le Bris, wearing a black tie, had his hands rooted in the pockets of his suit trousers. There were noticeable differences in the teams, too, and not only because they finished 14 points apart, the biggest points difference between two finalists since the current playoff format was introduced in 1990.
United again unashamedly went direct and the selfless Kieffer Moore and Campbell proved a tricky combination for a typically youthful Sunderland; the Wearside club consistently fielded the youngest starting lineup in the division. Almost from kick-off Campbell charged down Anthony Patterson, forcing the Sunderland goalkeeper to squirt a panicked clearance out for a throw-in.
Then, with 62 seconds gone, Patterson made a plunging, left-hand save to prevent United from a dream start. Gus Hamer, who made itthis far with Coventrytwo years ago, pinged a diagonal cross into the box from the left and Moore got between Dennis Cirkin and O’Nien to direct a downward header towards the bottom corner. Patterson did brilliantly to keep it out and O’Nien’s efforts to jolt Moore culminated in him walking off with a shoulder injury. O’Nien’s last act, unable to move his right arm as he received oxygen, was to rev up the Sunderland fans with his left.
Sunderland, though, did not immediately have much to shout about. United quickly hit their stride and it was no surprise Hamer, who earlier sent a delicious outside-of-the-boot pass down the flank before having a volley blocked, was involved in the goal. Gallingly for Sunderland, it stemmed from a Trai Hume short corner. Hamer seized the ball about 10 yards inside his own half and stretched his legs down the left flank, occupying three white shirts, before slipping a neat pass through the legs of the Sunderland captain, Dan Neil. Campbell controlled the ball with his right foot and, with his next touch, scooped it over the onrushing Patterson. Wilder escaped his technical area, running down the touchline and springing off the ground to punch the air.
A red haze, courtesy of the smoke bombs let off, still filled the air when HarrisonBurrows volleyed the ball in on 34 minutes. There was an impromptu United pile-on close to the touchline but then the referee, Chris Kavanagh, made that familiar rectangle with his hands, a cheer went up in the sold-out Sunderland end and, after a VAR review, Kavanagh momentarily took centre stage, a muffled message over the speakers confirming an offside Vinícius Souza was deemed to be in Patterson’s eye line. Wilder was left to chew it over with the fourth official, Peter Bankes.
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Sunderland did not test the United goalkeeper Michael Cooper until the 51st minute, deep into first-half stoppage time, and that was a routine save from a volley by the 17-year-old Chris Rigg. Le Bris’ side started faster after the interval, Romaine Mundle twice carving out some room down the left flank. A dangerous Cirkin cross was cut out by the long legs of Souza.
In truth, Sunderland prospered with their second effort on target, their first effort with any conviction. It began with an incisive move in midfield, Watson and Enzo Le Fée both involved. Patrick Roberts, who replaced Rigg, threaded a pass in for Mayenda, who wriggled the ball out of his feet with his first touch and then blasted into the top corner with his second. O’Nien, of course, was first on the scene to greet him, roaring in delight. Even the polished Le Bris let himself go a little.
There was plenty more where that came from. With a couple of minutes of second-half stoppage time remaining, the ball bounced off Moore and Sunderland roamed forward unchallenged. Watson carried the ball a few yards and then caressed a right-foot finish into the bottom corner. The entire subs’ bench emptied as they legged it down the touchline.