Southampton gained promotion back into the Premier League after securing a tight 1-0 victory over Leeds United at Wembley Stadium.
Adam Armstrong’s clinical finish in the 24th minute proved enough for the Saints on Sunday afternoon, with Daniel Farke’s side coming closest when Daniel James struck the crossbar.
Saints manager Russell Martin will look forward to managing his first English top-flight side after enjoying a fruitful campaign on the south coast, while it was heartbreak for Leeds as they prepare for another season in the Championship.
How the game unfolded
The opening moments proved fairly equal between the two sides, with neither fully grasping the occasion to impress at Wembley in the first 20 minutes.
A chance came out of nowhere for Southampton as Flynn Downes played a smart pass to Will Smallbone. The midfielder slotted a ball through the Leeds defence which landed perfectly for striker Armstrong, who fired an effort into the bottom corner of the net.
Armstrong’s clinical finish put the Saints ahead before the 30-minute mark, capitalising on some disorganisation in the Leeds defence.
The Whites continued to play well but struggled to threaten Southampton’s defence. A further chance arrived for the Saints in the first half as Armstrong once again outsmarted Leeds’ backline to fire a shot on target. However, a fantastic save from Illan Meslier kept it 1-0 at the break.
When the second 45 minutes began, Farke’s side looked desperate to get back in the game but continued to toil in front of Southampton’s defensive system.
It finally looked like the breakthrough would come for Leeds when substitute James fired a powerful shot towards the net but was denied as it flew off the crossbar. The winger looked fed up as he marched away from the goal, with his team losing hope as the clock ticked on.
The final minutes of the game arrived with intense play from both sides. Leeds aimed to push to etch a goal onto the scoresheet during nine minutes of second-half stoppage time but were unable to break down the Saints.
Southampton celebrated promotion into the Premier League at the final whistle while Leeds were unable to earn a goal, meaning Eric Cantona remains the last Whites player to score at Wembley.
GK: Illan Meslier – 7/10 – Fantastic save in the first half to prevent the opposition running away with the game.
RB: Archie Gray – 7/10 – Looked mature on the pitch despite his tender age. Proved versatile…
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