Home Sports Dramatic Last-Minute Goal by Josh Windass Secures League One Play-Off Final Victory for Sheffield Wednesday over 10-Man Barnsley

Dramatic Last-Minute Goal by Josh Windass Secures League One Play-Off Final Victory for Sheffield Wednesday over 10-Man Barnsley

by THE GULF TALK

Sheffield Wednesday Seals Championship Promotion in Thrilling Play-Off Final Victory

In a pulsating EFL play-off final, Sheffield Wednesday emerged triumphant over their South Yorkshire rivals, Barnsley, securing a place in the Championship with a dramatic last-gasp goal. With the match seemingly heading for a penalty shootout, Josh Windass soared above the Barnsley defense, heading the ball beyond a despairing dive from goalkeeper Harry Isted to clinch victory for the Owls.

The Tykes suffered a significant setback in the 49th minute when Adam Phillips was shown a straight red card for a reckless challenge on Lee Gregory, leaving them a man down for the remainder of the contest. Extra time proved to be a whirlwind of action, with Isted making impressive saves from Michael Smith and Barry Bannan, and Luca Connell missing a golden opportunity for Barnsley. However, it was Sheffield Wednesday who delivered the final blow with a last-minute winner.

The triumph in such extraordinary fashion was befitting of Sheffield Wednesday’s journey to this Wembley showdown. Under Darren Moore’s guidance, the team embarked on a club-record 23-game unbeaten streak, initially appearing destined for automatic promotion. Yet, a 4-2 defeat to Barnsley in March halted their progress, and they ultimately finished third in the league, accumulating a remarkable 96 points, the highest ever for a team failing to secure automatic promotion.

Their promotion hopes were dealt another blow with a resounding 4-0 loss in the first leg of the play-off semi-final against Peterborough. However, backed by a fervent Hillsborough crowd, Wednesday mounted a stunning comeback, equalizing on aggregate with the final kick of the 90 minutes in the second leg before emerging victorious in a penalty shootout. Their remarkable turnaround marked the first time a team had ever overturned a deficit of more than 2-0 in a play-off semi-final.

Throughout the League One final, Sheffield Wednesday endured periods of uncertainty. Yet, in the dying seconds of the match, Windass bravely dived to head home Gregory’s cross with immense power, triggering ecstatic celebrations among the 44,000 Wednesday fans and leaving Barnsley devastated. The victory propelled Sheffield Wednesday into the Championship and etched their name in the annals of a thrilling play-off final.

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