Hull City secure Wembley showdown with Millwall victory
Hull City are heading to Wembley after a brilliant 2-0 triumph over Millwall in their Championship play-off semi-final second leg at The Den, reports BritPanorama.
The substitutes made all the difference for the Tigers, with Mo Belloumi and Joe Gelhardt both finding the net after coming off the bench. The victory sets up a final on Saturday 23 May, where Hull will take on either Southampton or Middlesbrough for a spot in the top flight.
Sergej Jakirovic’s side finished a full 10 points behind third-placed Millwall during the regular season, making this result all the more impressive. The deadlock in the tie was finally shattered in the 64th minute when Belloumi produced a moment of magic. Matt Crooks picked him out, and the Algerian cut inside before curling a stunning effort that kissed the far post on its way in.
Hull was well on top throughout the second half, with Belloumi at the heart of it. Originally, Jakirovic had planned to rest him after an injury kept him out of training, but when Kyle Joseph went down injured in the first half, plans quickly changed. The kill shot for Millwall came shortly after, as Gelhardt scored just a minute after entering the match.
Gelhardt displayed remarkable composure, striking a low shot that unexpectedly squirmed through Anthony Patterson’s grasp and over the line. The travelling Hull fans behind that goal went absolutely wild. “There is no headache, from day one every player is important and has an impact,” Jakirovic said when asked about his selection dilemma for the final.
Hull’s journey to this point has been nothing short of extraordinary. Just last season, they survived relegation on the final day, and this campaign has seen them operate under a transfer embargo. They weren’t even in the play-off places when the final day of the regular season kicked off. Now, they’re one match away from Premier League football for the first time since 2017.
The Tigers have also become the first sixth-placed team in seven years to win their semi-final and boast a perfect record in Championship play-offs, having achieved promotion this way in 2007-08 and 2015-16. Their resilience and tenacity stand as testaments to their growth, paving the way for a tantalising final that promises to be a focus of national attention.
