Sunderland will meet Sheffield United in the Premier League promotion play-off final on May 24 at Wembley Stadium, after they eliminated Frank Lampard's Coventry City in dramatic fashion at the Stadium of Light.
"Sunderland will face Sheffield United in the Championship play-off final after a dramatic extra-time win over Coventry City," the Premier League's official website wrote on Wednesday.
Ephron Mason-Clark's 76th-minute goal gave Coventry a 1-0 lead and made the aggregate score 2-2. However, as the match entered the final seconds, precisely in the 120+2 minute, Daniel Ballard made Coventry bow with his header.
The goal gave Sunderland a 3-2 aggregate lead and secured a play-off final against Sheffield, who comfortably beat Britol City 6-0 on aggregate.
The winner of this final match will join Leeds United and Burnley who secured promotion first through the regular round, after both collected 100 points.
Sheffield themselves are targeting an immediate return to the top flight after being relegated in 2023/2024, when they finished bottom with 16 points.
Meanwhile, this final could be the end of a long wait for Sunderland who have not played in the English Premier League since the 2016/2017 season when they were relegated to the Championship or second tier after collecting 24 points as bottom.
After being relegated to the second tier, Sunderland were relegated to the third tier in their second season after finishing bottom with 37 points. They spent four seasons in the third tier before finally being promoted to the second tier in the 2022/2023 season, thanks to a 2-0 win over Wycombe Wanderers.
They went straight into the play-offs in their first season after promotion to the second tier, but were beaten by promoted Luton Town in the semi-finals.
