Southampton to face Hull in Championship play-off final after edging past Middlesbrough

[p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/southampton/WdKOwxDM/"]Southampton[/a]'s trip to the final has been marred by controversy since the beginning of the play-offs after the Saints were accused of spying on one of [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/middlesbrough/6F0lvLNC/"]Boro[/a]'s training sessions.[/p][p][b]The official investigation is still ongoing - [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/news/football-championship-spygate-explained-championship-play-off-middlesbrough-southampton/4hFSaQdc/"]read all about 'Spygate' here.[/a][/b][/p][p]The match itself began at a frantic pace as Middlesbrough struck early through [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/mcgree-riley/nqCW2QeG/"]Riley McGree[/a], who swept home a low pass from [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/brittain-callum/biLapgwq/"]Callum Brittain[/a] after a driving run down the right flank.[/p][p]Southampton responded strongly, with [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/manning-ryan/bcjICzbK/"]Ryan Manning[/a] and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/stewart-ross/2L76lB8m/"]Ross Stewart[/a] both going close, the latter missing a clear chance before controversy arrived when Stewart was pulled back in the box by Brittain, only for penalty appeals to be waved away.[/p][p][b]The pressure eventually told in first-half stoppage time, as Manning’s volley from a Leo Scienza free-kick was parried by [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/brynn-solomon/CGIQ8eCQ/"]Sol Brynn[/a] and Stewart nodded in the rebound to level the score.[/b][/p][image alt="Starting lineups" id="7c1beb6b-4b9b-474c-8142-a51ec66380bc" credit-line="Flashscore" guid="07975caa-50e7-4f4a-b448-9a4023be606a" original-width="1200" original-height="1200" /][p]The second half saw Southampton dominate possession but struggle to create clear openings, with Brynn again denying them before Manning sent a rebound narrowly wide after a deflection off [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/ayling-luke/YP7gClsj/"]Luke Ayling[/a].[/p][p]As the game wore on, both sides looked increasingly fatigued in a contest that stretched deep into extra time.[/p][p][b]In the additional period, [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/edozie-samuel/EwCgGJ7c/"]Samuel Edozie[/a] was denied by a strong Brynn save as penalties loomed, but Southampton finally broke through when [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/charles-shea/8xIbHy74/"]Shea Charles[/a]’ speculative cross-shot from distance evaded everyone and nestled into the far corner to seal the win.[/b][/p][embed guid="068f73ed-4134-42b1-8ec3-701402deacc5" url="https://x.com/SkyBetChamp/status/2054317268473897249" social-type="twitter" /][p]Hull reached the play-off final after [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/hull-S66R0t75/millwall-6uz2cJBL/?mid=W89yLHrm"]a 2-0 victory away at Millwall[/a] on Monday evening, following [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/hull-S66R0t75/millwall-6uz2cJBL/?mid=zwO5QwLP"]a 0-0 draw in the first leg of their semi-final.[/a][/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/belloumi-mohamed/WWdihvvt/"]Mohamed Belloumi[/a] and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/gelhardt-joe/WGFi8qJm/"]Joe Gelhardt[/a] were on hand to propel [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/hull-city/S66R0t75/"]the Tigers[/a] to an unlikely date at Wembley following a wild campaign that started with a transfer embargo, just months after they scraped to survival on the last day of the 2024/25 Championship season.[/p][p]The Championship final will take place on Saturday, 23rd May, with the winner joining [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/coventry/GOvB22xg/"]Coventry[/a] and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/ipswich/thqhB2MB/"]Ipswich[/a] in the Premier League.[/p][p][b]Flashscore Man of the Match: [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/manning-ryan/bcjICzbK/"]Ryan Manning[/a] ([a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/southampton/WdKOwxDM/"]Southampton[/a])[/b][/p][p][b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/middlesbrough-6F0lvLNC/southampton-WdKOwxDM/?mid=8WVJ2zTI"]Check out the match stats here[/a][/b].[/p]