Sheff Utd 1 – 2 Sunderland – MC Global Concept

Sunderland stunned Sheffield United with a dramatic 95th-minute winner to seal a comeback 2-1 win and their return to the Premier League after eight years away.

Tyrese Campbell had given the Blades the lead in the Championship play-off final at Wembley in the first half, but Sunderland struck back in the second with goals from Eliezer Mayenda and substitute Tommy Watson – the latter coming in the fifth minute of added time – to seal an astonishing win.

The significance of the achievement was highlighted by the fact it was the first time in 15 years a team had come from behind to win a Championship final.

Tommy Watson: The homegrown lad who leaves Sunderland a hero

It was likely his final touch in a Sunderland shirt. The 19-year-old winger who has signed for Brighton was thrown on as a ‘Hail Mary’ by Regis Le Bris in the closing stages, but he provided a moment that will last a lifetime.

Picking up the ball after a loose pass from Kieffer Moore, he drove at Sheffield United’s defence and bent one into the bottom corner from the edge of the box.

There were a lot of Sunderland fans not happy to see him leave before he had even made a mark at the club. He will more than likely be forgiven now. Some have spent years at the Stadium of Light without making the impact Watson did with the sweep of his right boot in stoppage time here.

Tommy Watson on Sky Sports Football:

“I think my celebration says it all. Just look around, it’s unbelievable. We’ll see each other in the Premier League next year.

“I’ve been thinking about it for weeks. My story was written when I came off the bench. I couldn’t have pictured it any better.”

Incident-packed opening minutes

Any fears of a turgid play-off final with little action at either end were dispelled within minutes. Sheffield United should have led from their first attack, but Anthony Patterson had other ideas – diving low to his left to brilliantly keep out Moore’s header. The big striker could not believe it.

But it did not come without consequence for Sunderland. Luke O’Nien was injured while trying to defend the cross, and he looked devastated as he was forced off with a dislocated shoulder.

A lightning counter for the opener… and then nearly a second

Just as Sunderland really attacked for the first time they found themselves exposed and then behind. Gus Hamer was the architect as his wonderful charge on the counter-attack saw him tee up Campbell, who dinked over the onrushing Patterson.

And shortly after, it looked like United had doubled their advantage, Harrison Burrows firing in after a corner landed at his feet 20 yards from goal. But it was, rightly, ruled out by VAR for offside – with Vini Souza in a position where he was obstructing Patterson’s ability to dive for the ball.

Changes made and momentum swings to Sunderland

Sunderland did not create a huge amount, but one breakthrough on 76 minutes saw them level things up.

Substitute Patrick Roberts was the creator, with his scything pass finding the run of Mayenda, who showed all the coolness in the world to lash one past the helpless Michael Cooper. An astonishingly calm and powerful finish in the circumstances.

And then the winner. One tired, misplaced pass by Moore allowed Watson possession and space to drive, and he found the bottom corner with what turned out to be his last significant touch of a ball in a Sunderland shirt.

Wilder: VAR decision gave Sunderland energy

Sheffield United’s Chris Wilder on Sky Sports Football:

“It’s going to take quite a while to get over for the players, the staff and, most importantly, the supporters. It’s a tough one to take, from our point of view.

“Never really felt in danger, even in the second half. Of course, they’ve got to open up and try and get back into the game, we just needed to be better on that turnover.

“We didn’t get the balance right, in terms of when they put a screener in to screen Kieffer Moore, to play out from the back and when they went high press, quality to go into the front.

“The biggest thing for us is we were just too loose in the second half. We had that ability to sit in, they were piling people forward and then we go and kill them on the counter-attack – and we never found that moment.

“The goals are disappointing from our point of view, the manner of the goals. I never felt we were under major threat.

“Everyone talks about stats and we’ve had the biggest chances, but stats don’t win games. They’ve found their moments, we haven’t found our moments; they find themselves in the Premier League and we’ve got to go again.”

“One thing I will say is, having played 46 league games and two play-off games, all of a sudden VAR comes into play. Big moments. If we go 2-0 up, I think we win the game comfortably, I think that really punctures them.

“But I thought that gave them belief, that gave their supporters the belief and, from that moment, gave them some energy.”

Le Bris: We finally found the solution

Sunderland’s Regis Le Bris on Sky Sports Football:

“It was a weird game. We didn’t start it well, we were maybe a bit nervous. We knew before they could be clinical and they were.

“This game represents the way we have played this season; with resilience, with discipline.

“We got back in the game and we have talented players, so we can score.

“We were lucky because we had many options on the bench. We tried two or three different options and finally we found the solution, the players found the solution.

“You have to wait sometimes five, 10 minutes to analyse, to assess if it works or not, but in the end, it was a good decision.”