Leeds United 0-1 Southampton: FLW report as Adam Armstrong fires Saints back to the Premier League | OneFootball

Southampton have been promoted back to the Premier League at the first attempt after beating Leeds United 1-0 in the Championship play-off final at Wembley.

Adam Armstrong's darting run and cool finish gave Saints' a deserved lead midway through the first half and the Whites could not muster a response as they suffered yet another play-off heartbreak.

Leeds have now been to four play-off finals without winning promotion, the most of any EFL club ever, and will be playing Championship football again next season.

The victory caps off an impressive finish to the season for Southampton and Russell Martin, who has beaten highly-rated second tier coaches Carlos Corberan and Daniel Farke in back-to-back weeks to win the first promotion of his management career.

Leeds United 0-1 Southampton

The heavens opened just ahead of kick-off but even the hammering rain could not dampen a special atmosphere at Wembley – 85,000-plus watching on as Leeds and Southampton, the Championship's third and fourth-placed sides, met in the most valuable game in football with a return to the Premier League at the first time of asking their prize.

Plenty of young players have made their name on the national stadium's hallowed turf and 18-year-old Archie Gray, the latest generation of the Whites' dynasty and already a sparkling talent, nearly had his moment in the opening exchanges. He drove forward from right-back and rattled a bouncing, low strike just wide of the post.

The effort was a sign of what was to come in the first 10 minutes, with Leeds dominant, but Saints soon woke from their sleepy start. A slick bit of combination play saw Armstrong put through on the left, but his cross was cut out by the returning Leeds defence, and then Will Smallbone forced a diving save from Illan Meslier at a free-kick.

Next time, however, the pair would not be denied as they combined for Southampton's opener. Armstrong raced onto Smallbone's ball into the right channel and drove into the box before firing a bullet finish across Meslier and into the far corner. It was far too easy for the South Coast club's 2023/24 top scorer, who grabbed his 24th goal of the season and fifth in his last four starts against the Whites.

Bit firmly between their teeth, Southampton pushed hard to double their advantage against a seemingly shell-shocked Leeds in the minutes after the goal. But they were nearly punished for their aggression when Farke's side broke quickly from a corner, with only an uncharacteristic Gray mistake halting a dangerous raid forward.

An injury to David Brooks forced Martin into the play-off final's first change 10 minutes before the break, Samuel Edozie on in his place, but still it was without doubt the 38-year-old heading down the tunnel as the happier of the two coaches.

Indeed, Farke – Martin's former manager at Norwich City – will have been relieved to go in only one down as Smallbone and Armstrong linked up again on the eve of the break to catch the Leeds' defence napping at a free-kick. Luckily for the Whites, Meslier got down to deny the latter a brace and the rebound was hacked away.

Leeds had a lot to do after the restart to avoid a record fifth-straight play-off final defeat and the stats were against them – as, excluding 0-0s, the last 12 teams that took the lead in a Championship play-off final have gone on to win promotion (Opta).

The Whites needed to start the second half well and they did. A rare foray forward from Joe Rodon may have brought an equaliser were it not for the leg of Taylor Harwood-Bellis while moments later the defender scythed down Georginio Rutter on the edge of the box and then headed the resulting free-kick behind himself.

As in the first half, a strong Leeds gave way to Southampton ascendancy and it was no surprise to see Dan James introduced as Farke looked to turn the tide inside the final half hour.

It was another sub, Edozie, that spurned a good chance to score the game's second goal in the 68th minute. The former Manchester City winger burst down the left and cut onto his stronger right foot but lifted a curling effort over the bar.

With 16 minutes to go, Farke turned to his bench again. Bringing Connor Roberts and Jaidon Anthony on for Glen Kamara and Crysencio Summerville, the latter having failed to reach his usual heights due to Kyle Walker-Peters' brilliance.

James proved a tougher proposition for the England international. He wriggled free and nearly delivered the equaliser that the Leeds fans were craving with six minutes left of the 90, rattling the crossbar with a swerving half-volley.

The Welsh winger went close again in the nine minutes of stoppage time but this time it was goalkeeper Alex McCarthy who denied him, pushing his low shot wide to keep his side ahead.

That strong left hand, and some resolute defending, proved enough to send Southampton back to the promised land and ensure Martin would become a promotion-winning manager.

Leeds may look back at this season and wonder 'what if' but there can be no doubt that Saints were deserving winners at Wembley on the day.

FULL TIME: LEEDS UNITED 1-0 SOUTHAMPTON

Leeds United player ratings

Illan Meslier - 7

Archie Gray - 6

Ethan Ampadu - 5

Joe Rodon - 6

Junior Firpo - 6 (Mateo Joseph (83) - 6)

Glen Kamara - 6 (Connor Roberts (73) - 6

Ilia Gruev - 6

Wilfried Gnonto - 6 (Dan James (66) - 7)

Georgino Rutter - 5

Crysencio Summerville - 5 (Jaidon Anthony (74) - 6)

Joel Piroe - 5

Unused subs: Karl Darlow, Liam Cooper, Jamie Shackleton, Sam Byram, Joe Gelhardt,

Southampton player ratings

Alex McCarthy - 7

Kyle Walker-Peters - 8

Jan Bednarek - 7

Taylor Harwood-Bellis - 7

Jack Stephens - 7

Flynn Downes - 7

Will Smallbone - 7

Joe Aribo - 6

David Brooks - 6 (Samuel Edozie (35) - 6) (Ryan Manning (83) - 6)

Adam Armstrong - 8

Ryan Fraser - 6 (Che Adams (70) - 6)

Unused subs: Joe Lumley, Ross Stewart, James Bree, Joe Rothwell, Kamaldeen Sulemana, Shea Charles

Attendance

The attendance at Wembley for Leeds United v Southampton in the Championship play-off final was 85,862.

Daniel Farke post-match reaction

Speaking after the game, Farke said: "We're suffering a lot in this moment. Deeply disappointed because once you come so close, after overall a terrific season with 90 points, also really good play-offs overall, great two legs against Norwich City. Today, can't really say we were the worse side in this final. To lose this final hurts a lot and you are very disappointed.

"Don't want to miss to say congratulations to Southampton. They defended really, really well today and were pretty effective. They had this one chance in the first half and they were able to be clinical in this moment.

"We know the only statistic that matters in the final is the goals but all the other statistics probably we won – we had more possession, more shots, more chances, more expected goals but the only thing that matters are goals and you have to say Southampton, they defended really well and were a bit more clinical, a bit more effective than we were."

Pressed on whether it was time for him to consider his position, Farke replied: "No, I spoke pretty openly about why I signed a long-term contract and also what my mission is here for this club but after a lost final it's not the moment to speak about myself. It's more like to speak about this fantastic club, our supporters and also to speak about my players. They don't want a manager that speaks about himself 20 minutes after they lost a final."

Russell Martin post-match reaction

"I just feel really grateful," said Martin after the game. "I felt that all week really. Felt loads of gratitude about what the players and fans have given us, the staff, the supporters. I feel immense pride in what we've achieved. I just feel grateful to the owners for giving me this opportunity in the first place, to Jason, who had a good day himself yesterday and is no longer here.

"It wasn't a sexy appointment for Southampton me coming in. They were brave enough to give me the opportunity. Hopefully, we have repaid them with a day that they will remember forever. It's given me one of the best days of my career for sure. I just feel nothing but gratitude and a lot of love for the people I've worked with all year.

He added: "To watch them celebrate on the balcony from the pitch will live with me forever. As a group of players and young men they've been incredible – what they've done and how much they've grown in terms of spirit and togetherness.

"I thought that would probably be the toughest bit at the start of the season when I saw how much the group had been fractured and were not together after relegation so to watch that, to watch them enjoy that, to see the love they show for each other every day, to how they've been this week and the feeling they've had has been amazing. I hope we can keep as many of that group together as we can."