Hull City 1-0 Middlesbrough: Oli McBurnie scored the only goal of the game in stoppage time to put the Tigers back at the top of the table.
Hull City return to the Premier League (Image: James Marsh/Shutterstock)
Hull City were promoted to the Premier League in dramatic fashion as Oli McBurnie scored in injury time and the Tigers defeated Middlesbrough to return to the top flight.
It was only the second shot on target in a monotonous affair under the scorching Wembley arches. McBurnie scored from close range to the delight of the traveling City fans.
As Yu Hirakawa crossed the ball from the left, Boro keeper Sol Bryn could only parry the ball and funnel it into the path of McBurnie, who was unable to let the goal slip away.
It capped a dramatic fortnight following the Spygate scandal that ultimately saw Southampton kicked out of the play-offs.
read more: Hull City team bus has broken windows ahead of Championship play-off final vs. Middlesbroughread more: EFL releases full verdict, accuses Tonda Eckert of ‘deplorable’ Southampton Spygate activities
Middlesbrough learned for the first time on Tuesday that they will be playing in the play-off final after Saints’ sensational exit to the EFL.
Southampton’s appeal was rejected on Wednesday night, giving Boro two days to prepare as they were certain to face Hull.
The incident comes after a Saints intern was caught red-handed filming Middlesbrough’s training session from behind a tree before the first leg of the semi-final at Riverside.
That match ended scoreless, but Southampton won the second leg and secured a spot at Wembley before the EFL intervened. Saints also admitted to spying on Oxford and Ipswich during the regular season.
Hull lifts the trophy on his return to the Premier League (Image: Getty Images)
Hull were preparing to play Southampton, but changed tack when they discovered that Middlesbrough would replace them in the final.
Boro enjoyed more of the ball and territory, but were unable to create any major scoring chances, voiding their automatic promotion and strangely ending up remaining in the Championship, despite losing twice in the play-offs.
The Tigers finished sixth and became the first team to be promoted to the Premier League since Blackpool in 2010. It will be their return to the top league for the first time since being relegated in 2017, and their fourth time this century.
If Hull had lost at Wembley, Tigers owner Akun Ilikari admitted before the match that he would have taken legal action following the Spygate drama.
Hull are back in the Premier League (Image: Jordan Pettitt/PA Wire)
He told BBC Radio Humberside: “Our legal team says we have to take action, that’s for sure.” “So we have no doubts about it. All we want here is justice. If justice is broken, no one will be able to enjoy football.”
“If this behavior was so large that it took the team out of the play-offs, why didn’t they just not play the semi-final, investigate and remove Southampton and bring in Wrexham?”
“Why are Wrexham out now? I want Wrexham in and the competition to continue. For me, bringing the eliminated teams back, as my lawyers have said, and it’s their opinion, is an incredibly wrong decision.”
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Hull City return to Premier League
To commemorate Hull, the Daily Mail has produced a wonderful souvenir special edition. This is a must-read chronicle of how Sergei Yakirović’s incredible Tigers won promotion from the Championship, reliving the entire season, the drama of the play-offs and the victory at Wembley. Filled with reactions, analysis, reports, and great photos. Click here to purchase.
