Sheffield United beat Bristol City 6–0 on aggregate to book Wembley play-off final
LONDON, May 13 — Sheffield United moved a step closer to the Premier League after dispatching Bristol City on Monday to book their place in the Championship play-off final.
Aiming for an immediate return to the top flight after last season's relegation, Chris Wilder's side beat City 3–0 in the play-off semi-final second leg at Bramall Lane.
Kieffer Moore's first goal since 21 December put the Blades ahead in the first half.
Championship Player of the Year Gustavo Hamer and Callum O'Hare netted after the interval as United coasted to a 6–0 aggregate victory.
The Blades will face Sunderland or Coventry in the final at Wembley on 24 May.
Sunderland hold a 2–1 lead heading into their semi-final second leg at the Stadium of Light on Tuesday.
'You've got to enjoy nights like this. It's been an incredibly challenging season for us. To have a night like this at home gives the boys a boost and the recognition they really deserve,' Wilder said.
'I just spoke to the players and said 'look after yourselves'. But then I thought if I was a player would I have a beer tonight? One hundred per cent!'
In his second spell with the Blades — after leading them from League One in 2016 to the Premier League in 2019 — Wilder is determined to finally end his boyhood club's play-off curse.
United have failed to win promotion via the Championship or League One play-offs in nine previous attempts — the worst record of any English club.
'We'll respect any team that we play in the final. It's a one-off and it'll bring the noise and excitement and everything a Wembley final will bring but we have to get the balance right,' Wilder said.
'We can't be too emotional and that's going to be the biggest task for the players because they're bound to be excited. There's still a huge challenge ahead of us.'
The Yorkshire outfit are also aiming to become the third of last season's three relegated Premier League teams to return to the top flight after Leeds and Burnley were promoted automatically.
The Blades were only the third side in Championship history to reach 90 points and fail to win automatic promotion.
Knockout blow
Sixth-placed City had ended 22 points behind third-placed United in the Championship table.
The gulf between the teams was evident when United swept to a 3–0 win in the first leg at Ashton Gate on Thursday after City defender Rob Dickie was controversially sent off for a foul on Moore.
Scott Twine tried to spark a historic comeback as the City midfielder fired narrowly wide in the opening moments.
United responded through Tom Cannon, whose strike from Moore's lay-off whistled just over.
City dominated the first 20 minutes and Jason Knight tested Michael Cooper with a low drive before Nahki Wells's long-range blast was repelled by the United keeper.
But Wilder's men steadied the ship after City's barrage and threatened themselves through Harrison Burrows' deflected strike.
Wales striker Moore delivered the knockout blow in the 41st minute, rising highest in the six-yard box to head home from a corner, with City keeper Max O'Leary protesting in vain he was blocked off by Cannon.
United doubled their lead in the 52nd minute when a clever corner routine climaxed with Hamer's shot taking a wicked deflection off Ross McCrorie as it looped over O'Leary.
With Blades fans singing of their impending trip to Wembley, O'Hare kept the party going with a clinical finish from Tyrese Campbell's cross in the 83rd minute. — AFP
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Malay Mail
5 hours ago
- Malay Mail
Man City sign Ait-Nouri in £31m deal ahead of Club World Cup squad rebuild
MANCHESTER, June 10 — Manchester City completed the signing of left-back Rayan Ait-Nouri from Wolves on Monday for a reported £31 million (RM178 million). The 24-year-old Algeria international has signed a five-year contract and will be available for the Club World Cup, which begins later this week. Ait-Nouri is expected to be just one of a trio of new City faces for that tournament with deals close to completion for AC Milan midfielder Tijjani Reijnders and Lyon playmaker Rayan Cherki. After missing out on a major trophy in the recently completed season for the first time since 2016/17, City are hoping to bounce back quickly with a major overhaul of Pep Guardiola's squad. They also spent more than £172 million in January on Omar Marmoush, Abdukodir Khusanov, Vitor Reis and Nico Gonzalez. City will face Moroccan side Wydad AC and Emirati club Al Ain before a clash of European heavyweights with Juventus in the group stage, which kicks off on June 14. 'City are one of the biggest clubs in the world and the chance to play for the club is a dream come true,' Ait-Nouri said in a club statement. 'I am also so excited about working with and learning from Pep (Guardiola) and his coaching team and getting to train and play alongside such a world class group of players.' Ait-Nouri spent five years at Wolves, initially arriving on loan from Angers before signing permanently for £14.9m in 2021. He is City's first left-back specialist since Benjamin Mendy, who played his final game for the club almost four years ago. Oleksandr Zinchenko, Joao Cancelo, Nathan Ake, Josko Gvardiol and Nico O'Reilly have been among the players to fill a problem position for Guardiola since. French media report Cherki is on the verge of signing a five-year deal with Guardiola hoping to wrap up the forecast €40 million five-year signing by Tuesday evening in order to field the 21-year-old at the Club World Cup. — AFP
The Star
9 hours ago
- The Star
Herry's different approach as coach bearing fruit for men's doubles
That's the way: Herry Iman Pierngadi (second from left) hugging Man Wei Chong after he and Tee Kai Wun (right) beat Japan's Takuro Hoki-Yugo Kobayashi in the Malaysian Masters semi-finals last month. PETALING JAYA: A coach can change a game, a great coach can change a life. It is a famous saying by American basketball trainer John Wooden and one that is greatly followed by national doubles coach Herry Iman Pierngadi. In fact, the 62-year-old Herry displays Wooden's slogan instead of his photo on his WhatsApp's profile. With such a profound belief in his calling as a coach, no wonder Herry has been able to transform the image of the Malaysian men's doubles department in just six months. From a washout at the All-England in March, the men's doubles under the Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) have now contributed five titles in the first half of the year through former world champions Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik and Man Wei Chong-Tee Kai Wun. Aaron lifted the Asian championships, Thailand Open and Singapore Open titles while Wei Chong-Kai Wun bagged the Malaysian Masters and entered the Indonesian Open final under the guidance of Herry since early February. It was such a turnaround especially after men's doubles wilted at the All-England in March when none made it past the first round. Wei Chong-Kai Wun also won the Indonesian Masters this year and reached the semi-finals of the Malaysian Open but that was before the arrival of Herry. 'The role of coach is more than just coaching,' said Herry, who has a four-year contract with BAM. 'It's about making a difference in the life of the players. I want them to be successful on and off the court. 'It's about trusting each other – the players and coach; also having a good communication, and being like a father to these players,' said Herry. Herry's calm manner and years of experience as Indonesia's long-serving doubles coach for almost three decades is rubbing off on the Malaysians, and the challenge now is to keep the momentum going in the second half of the year. 'It's a joy for a coach to see his players doing well. I'm so happy to see Man-Tee reaching the final of the Indonesian Open. Earlier, Aaron-Wooi Yik stayed solid for three weeks in a row,' said Herry. 'I think, the greater sense of accomplishment is seeing the change in the players' mindset ... they are now playing with more confidence,' he added. With a strong showing so far, naturally all eyes will be at the World Championships in Paris in August. Since Aaron-Wooi Yik ended the country's wait by winning the world title for the first time at the 2022 edition in Japan, Malaysia's men's doubles campaign has been rather quiet and it's time to make some noise again. In leading to the worlds, Herry's boys will firstly be out make their marks at the back-to-back Japan Open from July 15-20 and China Open from July 22-27. Last year, professional shuttlers Goh Sze Fei-Nur Izzuddin Rumsani captured both the men's doubles title in Japan and China.
The Star
9 hours ago
- The Star
Time to restore order in singles with Zii Jia's return
PETALING JAYA: Shuttler Lee Zii Jia's ( pic ) return from injury in the Japan Open from July 15-20 in Tokyo is a boost for the struggling Malaysian men's singles department. National No. 1 Zii Jia suffered a right ankle ligament injury in the World Tour Finals in Hangzhou last December and could only compete in the Orleans Masters and All-England in March so far this year. The 27-year-old's absence has been keenly felt with the likes of national No. 2 Leong Jun Hao and No. 3 Justin Hoh struggling to make an impression in the World Tour. World No. 25 Jun Hao and world No. 43 Justin's best results were reaching the quarter-finals in the Super 750 Singapore Open last week and Super 300 Taiwan Open last month respectively. In the Indonesian Open which ended on Sunday, Jun Hao, who was Malaysia's sole representative in the men's singles, went down to China's world No. 4 Li Shifeng in the second round in Jakarta. Zii Jia's return has raised hopes of lifting the gloom in the men's singles in the country. The Paris Olympics bronze medallist has registered for the Japan Open and will likely also compete in the China Open from July 22-27 in Changzhou, China. Zii Jia initially planned to make his comeback in the US Open (June 24-29) but decided to take a cautious approach and delay his return to avoid aggravating his injury. His caution is understandable with the World Championships coming up from Aug 25-31 in Paris. In the Japan tourney, Zii Jia will be joined by Jun Hao. The draw for the tournament will be released on July 8.
