Sunderland 2-0 Wycombe LIVE – League One play-off final: Stewart adds second as Black Cats seal Championship return

SUNDERLAND are BACK in the Championship after beating Wycombe 2-0 in the League One play-off final.

Ross Stewart and Elliot Embleton scored for the Black Cats as they triumphed at Wembley Stadium.

• Result: Sunderland 2-0 Wycombe
• TV/ live stream: Sky Sports Main Event

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  Ross Stewart reacts

  Sunderland star Ross Stewart, who scored the team's second goal, called today's triumph the "icing on the cake" for an impressive season.

  Stewart told Sky Sports: "It's an unbelievable feeling, for it to end like this in the play-offs, you couldn't have picked a better way to do it,

  "We're a confident group, and we had to treat it right, we were excellent today and got what we deserved.

  "It was a massive opener, Wycombe defend really well and the goal settled us down. Getting the second got us home.

  "Today was the icing on the cake in a game with so much importance"

  

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  Alex Neil reacts

  Sunderland manager Alex Neil insists the Championship promotion is "the first step" towards a Premier League return.

  Neil told Sky Sports: "I thought we deserved to win.

  "Wycombe have done great this season, we knew a lot of people had heavily backed us, but that's normal for us.

  "We coped with that really well, the lads deserve it. I'm buzzing for them, and the fans.

  "This club shouldn't be where it is, and this is the first step towards getting us back where we want to be"

  

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  Elliot Embleton reacts

  Sunderland ace Elliot Embleton scored the team's first goal of the night against Wycombe Wanderers.

  And it was a major goal that led to an even greater moment for the midfielder, who has been with the club since he was seven years old.

  Embleton told Sky Sports: "I've been here since I was seven and to win in front of 46,000 Sunderland fans is unreal,

  "I can't believe it. We're a massive club, look at all the fans"

  

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  Sunderland officially promoted

  Sunderland captain Corry Evans raised the trophy up in the air to seal the team's promotion to the Championship.

  The Black Cats are among the biggest clubs in England in terms of history, fanbase as well as tradition and getting out of League One has been an obsession for four years.

  It is now a reality for the team that is looking for another promotion in 12 months' time to return to the Premier League.

  Until then, Alex Neil's men celebrate!

  

  

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  Emotions running high

  Sunderland fans are over the moon after the victory over Wycombe Wanderers.

  Die-hard supporters broke down in tears after full-time as they finally get some good news after five soul-crushing years.

  The Black Cats' misery started in 2017 when they were relegated from the Premier League following a number of turbulent seasons.

  They then dropped to the third division a year later but Alex Neil's arrival has drastically improved the situation for the English giants, who are hoping to be restored to the top tier in another 12 months

  

  

  

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  Stats

  Sunderland dominated most of the League One play-off final at Wembley.

  But Wycombe Wanderers had 52 per cent of possession after improving in the second half.

  The Black Cats registered a total of 13 shots, five of which were on target.

  The Chairboys, on the other hand, produced six shots, half of which were on target

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  FT: Sunderland 2-0 Wycombe

  Wembley has experienced one of its biggest roars as Sunderland are finally out of League One and back into the Championship.

  Alex Neil's men, who haven't lost since February, kept it together and dominated Wycombe Wanderers throughout the entire match.

  The Black Cats opened the scoring after just 12 minutes thanks to Elliot Embleton's long-range shot and David Stockdale's blunder as the ball went through his left hand.

  Sunderland sealed promotion when Alex Pritchard set the team's top scorer Ross Stewart up on the edge of the box and the striker sent the ball to Stockdale's bottom right corner

  

  

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  FT: Sunderland 2-0 Wycombe

  PEEP!

  That's it at Wembley, Sunderland are back in the Championship!

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  Sunderland 2-0 Wycombe

  90+3 Sunderland ace Pritchard has been announced as Man oof the Match at Wembley.

  Wycombe have surrendered as the Black Cats are finally returning to the Championship

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  Sunderland 2-0 Wycombe

  90 WHAT A CHANCE!

  Sunderland ace Clarke breaks inside the area and has only Stockdale to beat but the Wycombe keeper denies him.

  Five more minutes of stoppage time to go

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  Sunderland 2-0 Wycombe

  90 CHANCE

  Akinfenwa got his retirement match and is looking for his retirement goal.

  A cross comes from the left and he catches a difficult shot in the far post that causes him to lose his balance.

  But it is too soft and Patterson picks it up

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  Sunderland 2-0 Wycombe

  88 SUBSTITUTION

  Sunderland ace Broadhead comes on to replace the team's best player this season Stewart.

  Both of the Black Cats' scorers are off

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  Sunderland 2-0 Wycombe

  87 Chance

  Wycombe push for a late goal to get back in the game.

  But Patterson clears a corner and saves Stewart's shot from a tight angle on the right

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  Sunderland 2-0 Wycombe

  87 They're going up, as it stands!

  Stewart has given Sunderland a comfortable lead and they are pushing hard for a third!

  

  

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  Sunderland 2-0 Wycombe

  85 Chance!

  Sunderland are still pushing for a third!

  Roberts runs down the right wing and fires a rather weak low shot that just misses Stockdale's bottom right corner

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  Sunderland 2-0 Wycombe

  82 CHANCE

  Sunderland star Stewart looks to end this once and for all with a shot from the right but just misses Stockdale's bottom right corner

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  Sunderland 2-0 Wycombe

  80 SUBSTITUTION

  Sunderland boss Neil makes another switch to protect his lead.

  Dyle comes on for Pritchard

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  Sunderland 2-0 Wycombe

  79 And surely this is it! Surely, Sunderland's League One misery ends after this!

  Pritchard and Stewart have a nice one-two and the club's top scorer this season gets two touches on the edge of the area before firing a shot to Stockdale's bottom right corner!

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  Sunderland 2-0 Wycombe

  GOAL!

  And Sunderland have scored what could be the winner with Stewart!

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  Sunderland 1-0 Wycombe

  78 Wycombe star Akinfenwa is going to retire after this match.

  The 40-year-old has come on as a sub in the final

  

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  Sunderland 1-0 Wycombe

  78 It looks like Wycombe boss Ainsworth is now playing with two strikers.

  Akinfenwa and Vokes are leading the line

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  Sunderland 1-0 Wycombe

  76 YELLOW CARD

  Sunderland ace Pritchard gets booked as he gets rough with Scowen there

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  Sunderland 1-0 Wycombe

  75 Substitution

  And here he is!

  Akinfenwa comes on for his final ever match as he replaces the injured Gape.

  The Beast would love to end his remarkable career with a goal at Wembley

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  Sunderland 1-0 Wycombe

  74 It looks like Gape's day at Wembley is over.

  But is now time for AKINFENWA TIME!!!!

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  Sunderland 1-0 Wycombe

  73 Wycombe ace Gape goes down with what could be a cramp.

  Play has been halted as he may need some medical attention.

  Meanwhile, a note is being passed around the Wycombe players from the bench.

  Looks very important, but what does it say?

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