Sheffield Wednesday 5-1(5-3p) Peterborough: Owls in final

Sheffield Wednesday 5-1(5-3p) Peterborough: Incredible images from England. Sheffield Wednesday looked dead and buried after losing 4-0 to Peterborough in the first leg of the Championship play-offs. Still, The Owls got one round further: it became 5-1 at Hillsborough and the home team took the penalties better.

Unprecedented comeback in English play-offs: Sheffield Wednesday reach final

It had looked hopeless after the beating that Posh had dealt the illustrious opponent on its own London Road, but in desperation Darren Moore’s side went for it. Michael Smith provided the early opening goal, and Lee Gregory’s 2-0 halfway through the second half ensured that half the job was done.

It then took a long time for the home team to cause further damage, so that faith gradually faded away. Fullback Reece James (not Chelsea’s, of course) scored the 3-0 twenty minutes before the end, after which the almost 32,000 people in the iconic stadium went completely crazy. On the waves of enthusiasm, Wednesday pounded on until they got the gate open in the eighth minute of stoppage time. Liam Palmer made 4-0: extra time, in an ecstatic environment.

Extra time

The bliss had an end: an own goal by Gregory, who made the 2-0, put the visitors of Darren Ferguson (indeed Sir Alex’s son) 4-1 and therefore close to the final next week on Wembley. It got even crazier. The Scot Callum Paterson made 5-1. Since there is no longer any special value for away goals in the English play-offs, the game was decided from the spot.

Penalty shootout

All five of Wednesday’s players kept their nerve, Dan Butler missing for the visitors. Thus, the decisive penalty was one by Wednesday player Jack Hunt. The spectators, completely beside themselves with joy, took possession of the pitch after one of the most memorable evenings in the history of English football. The final for a place in the second English tier is against Barnsley or Bolton Wanderers next week.