Sunderland have secured a dramatic return to the Premier League after eight years away, thanks to a stoppage-time strike from Tommy Watson that sealed a thrilling 2-1 victory over Sheffield United in the Championship play-off final on Saturday.
Trailing for most of the match at Wembley after Tyrese Campbell gave Sheffield United a first-half lead, the Black Cats turned the tide late on. Eliezer Mayenda equalised with just 14 minutes remaining, setting the stage for Watson’s stunning winner deep into stoppage time.
The victory marks a remarkable achievement for head coach Régis Le Bris, who only joined Sunderland last year following relegation with Lorient in France. His side, which had lost five games in a row before entering the play-offs, showed grit and determination throughout.
“This result reflects the spirit we’ve shown all season—resilience and tactical flexibility,” said Le Bris. “We kept pushing and eventually found the breakthrough.”
The win is expected to be worth around £200 million ($270 million) in additional revenue for Sunderland and paves the way for a long-awaited Premier League return, their first since 2017. The promotion also sets up a fiery renewal of their rivalry with Newcastle United next season.
Sunderland had to dig deep throughout the play-off campaign, including a dramatic extra-time semi-final victory over Coventry City, where Dan Ballard’s last-minute header clinched a 3-2 aggregate win.
At Wembley, goalkeeper Anthony Patterson produced a stunning early save to deny Kieffer Moore, drawing comparisons to Jim Montgomery’s iconic stop in Sunderland’s 1973 FA Cup triumph. However, United struck first when Ben Hamer’s precise through-ball found Campbell, who slotted past Patterson to make it 1-0 in the 25th minute.
United nearly doubled their lead when Harrison Burrows found the net, but VAR ruled the goal out for offside. Sunderland rode their luck, with Patterson again coming to the rescue in the second half.
The equaliser finally came in the 76th minute when Mayenda capitalized on slack defending, firing Patrick Roberts’ well-placed pass into the roof of the net. Injured captain Luke O’Nien, watching from the sidelines with his arm in a sling, joined the celebrations in emotional scenes.
Then came the winner: five minutes into added time, Watson intercepted a wayward pass from Moore, surged toward the box, and coolly curled a low finish beyond Michael Cooper.
Watson, who is set to join Brighton in the summer, described the moment as a dream send-off. “It’s unreal. Coming off the bench and scoring the winner at Wembley—it’s like a movie. I couldn’t ask for a better ending,” he said.
Sunderland’s promotion capped a difficult spell in the club’s history, including a four-year stint in League One. Meanwhile, Sheffield United’s Wembley woes continued—now 100 years without a win at the national stadium, and ten failed play-off attempts.
