Sky Wager Championship Play-Off Ultimate
Leeds United 0
Southampton 1 (Armstrong 24’)
Leeds: Meslier (GK), Firpo (Joseph 83’), Ampadu (C), Piroe, Kamara (Roberts 74’), Summerville (Anthony 74’), Rodon, Grey, Rutter, Gnonto (James 66’), Gruev. Subs not used: Darlow (GK), Cooper, Shackleton, Byram, Gelhardt.
Southampton: McCarthy (GK), Walker-Peters, Downes, Stephens (C), Aribo, Armstrong, Smallbone, Harwood-Bellis, Fraser (Adams 70’), Bednarek, Brooks (Edozie 35’ (Manning 83’)). Subs not used: Lumley (GK), Manning, Stewart, Bree, Rothwell, Sulemana, Charles.
Referee: John Brooks
Booked: Summerville, Ampadu (Leeds) Bednarek, Fraser, Harwood-Bellis, Adams, Downes, Aribo (Southampton)
Venue: Wembley Stadium
Attendance: 85,862
Leeds United’s season led to heartbreak at Wembley, as Southampton ran out 1-0 winners within the Sky Wager Championship Play-Off Ultimate.
Backed by unbelievable assist with the Leeds finish a sea of white, Daniel Farke’s aspect finally got here up brief within the capital, with Adam Armstrong’s first half purpose proving sufficient to separate the 2 sides.
The Whites had the primary sight of purpose when Joe Rodon produced a fantastic piece of ability contained in the Southampton half to search out house for Georginio Rutter.
On the flip, the French ahead was bundled to the bottom with Archie Grey selecting up the scraps, racing to the sting of the realm earlier than drilling an effort simply broad of Alex McCarthy’s far submit.
Georginio was then concerned as United got here ahead as soon as extra, enjoying an incisive one-two with Willy Gnonto earlier than the Italian let fly, forcing McCarthy right into a save right down to his left.
For all Leeds’ early stress, the Saints had been starting to supply a risk on the break, with Armstrong latching onto a go down the left.
The ahead crossed low in search of Will Smallbone which Rodon was properly positioned to intercept, earlier than captain Ethan Ampadu was available to dam Armstrong’s comply with up effort.
Illan Meslier’s first name into motion got here simply earlier than the 15-minute mark, with the Leeds goalkeeper making a fantastic diving save to parry Smallbone’s well-struck free kick away from hazard.
Armstrong put Saints into the lead halfway inside the primary half, racing onto Smallbone’s go in behind the Leeds line earlier than drilling low throughout Meslier and into the far nook.
After a cagey spell that produced few openings for both aspect following the opener, Meslier obtained down fantastically properly to get a powerful hand on Armstrong’s subsequent strike, with nice defensive positioning from Rodon permitting the defender to hack clear earlier than a black shirt might pounce.
Rodon would once more make a vital interception to disclaim Armstrong moments earlier than the break, blocking the striker’s left-footed effort from the sting of the realm, with referee John Brooks then bringing the opening 45 minutes to an in depth.
HALF TIME: Leeds United 0-1 Southampton
With each side unchanged after the restart, the Whites began brightly, with a marauding run from Rodon seeing him cost into the Saints’ penalty space, linking up with Gnonto earlier than determined defending noticed Southampton clear.
Summerville picked the ensuing free ball up on the sting of the field and looking out to select the highest nook, the Dutch winger curled agonisingly broad of McCarthy’s far submit.
United’s stress continued when Georginio was bundled to the ground, in an excellent crossing place on the left. Summerville as an alternative opted to attempt to catch McCarthy out at his close to submit, with Jack Stephens’ stooping header averting the hazard.
Simply after the hour mark, a primary change from Farke noticed Dan James launched instead of Gnonto, with the winger instantly concerned within the motion, floating a harmful cross in search of Joel Piroe which Kyle Walker-Peters headed clear, with Southampton then launching a fast counter.
Samuel Edozie could be the participant to latch onto the ball down the left, darting into the realm earlier than scooping over the crossbar as he seemed to double his aspect’s lead.
James got here inside inches of a shocking equaliser with 5 minutes left on the clock, with the Wales worldwide linking up with substitute Mateo Joseph earlier than seeing his fierce driving cannon off the upright and away from hazard.
Deep into stoppage time, McCarthy produced a fantastic finger-tip save, parrying properly to disclaim James’ low strike from the sting of the realm as Leeds threw the whole lot on the Saints backline.
Regardless of United’s finest efforts, Southampton’s defence stood agency earlier than Brooks’ full-time whistle introduced the sport to an in depth.
FULL TIME: Leeds United 0-1 Southampton