Sunderland sunk Wycombe Wanderers in the League One play-off final with a slick performance that ended four years of exile in English football’s third tier.
With 46,000 travelling supporters at their back, Alex Neil’s side came hurtling out of the traps in the Wembley sun, with Wycombe’s shaky defence seemingly shellshocked by the pace of their opponents’ early bombardment.
Indeed, only 12 minutes had been played when Sunderland took the lead their vibrant start deserved. Eliot Embleton drove forward from deep and rifled home from just outside the box – though a seemingly unsighted David Stockdale should have kept out an effort that was straight down his throat.
Sunderland’s clear dominance only continued for a short period after the goal, however, and the game soon settled into a more even contest. For the rest of the half, Wycombe repeatedly found space down the right-hand side to deliver crosses into the box – their primary form of attack throughout the game – but failed to get any efforts on target.
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On the hour mark, Sam Vokes should have equalised for Wycombe from just inside the box when Bailey Wright misjudged a bouncing ball from deep. Vokes could not get the ball down quickly enough and the impressive Nathan Patterson got out to smother the ball.
Sunderland had kept their lead alive and as the game hurtled towards a conclusion, they began to dominate again. When the ball came to Stewart on the edge of the box with 12 to play, the Scottish hitman wrongfooted Stockdale to guide the ball home and seal the promotion that their assured performance deserved.
ROSS STEWART!! 2-0!! A superb finish! ????
— Sky Sports Football (@SkyFootball) May 21, 2022
Could this be the goal that sends Sunderland to the Championship? ????#SUNvWYC | #EFLPlayOffs pic.twitter.com/xzEeQw3JqW
Sunderland player ratings
Nathan Patterson: Patterson claimed balls well from crosses and set pieces and displayed a confidence that belied his age in an assured performance 7
Lynden Gooch: Shaky at times when dealing with Sam Vokes, Gooch had limited impact in defence and attack 5
Bailey Wright: Wright was wobbly on two particular occasions, misjudging balls that Patterson was fortunately alert enough to smother 5
Danny Batth: Solid enough as part of a defence that did not concede any clear chances until the hour mark 6
Dennis Cirkin: Cirkin got forward well, whether down the flank or cutting inside – but he was less assured in dealing with Wycombe’s dangerous play down the right 6
Corry Evans: Evans spread the play well and got all over the pitch, being a key cog in transition for Sunderland 7
Luke O’Nien: O’Nien was a dependable midfield presence but had few individual moments of note 6
Patrick Roberts: A constant menace down the right, Roberts was a key part of Sunderland’s ever-threatening attack 8
Alex Pritchard: As a floating presence all over the final third, Pritchard was very dangerous throughout, displaying an immaculate touch and superb passing ability. Oh, and he set up Stewart to wrap up the win 8
Elliot Embleton: Surprisingly included in the starting XI ahead of Jack Clarke, Embleton fired Sunderland into an early lead and got about the final third excellently until going off on the hour mark 8
Ross Stewart: Stewart did well to find space in the box repeatedly and should have scored in the 51st minute with a free header from six yards. That did not matter though when he sealed promotion with his cool late finish 8
Jack Clarke: Subbed on for Elliot Embleton on the hour mark, Clarke was nifty down the left as Sunderland kept the pressure on their opponents 6
Callum Doyle – An 81st minute sub, all Doyle had to do was help see out the win and that’s what he did 6
Nathan Broadhead – An 88th minute replacement for Ross Stewart, Broadhead came on but did little of note 6
Wycombe Wanderers player ratings
Robbie Stockdale: Stockdale should have done better with Sunderland’s opener and never seemed to recover his confidence, being wrongfooted by Stewart when Sunderland made it 2-0 4
Jason McCarthy: Got forward well down the right in partnership with McCleary throughout. A strong performance but it was not enough to see Wycombe over the line 6
Anthony Stewart: Stewart did not exude confidence in an initially deep defensive line that failed to get anywhere near Sunderland’s dominant start, though he did spray some impression balls out from the back over the course of the game 5
Ryan Tafazolli: Shaky at times, Tafazolli was far from the dependable presence Wycombe needed on this huge occasions 5
Joe Jacobson: Wycombe’s captain was a key organiser from left-back but he struggled to contain the dynamic Patrick Roberts 5
Gareth McCleary: McCleary was Wycombe’s most creative outlet in the first half and got the ball into the box time and time again. Few clear chances came from them, however 6
Dominic Gape: Gape was largely bypassed throughout as Sunderland’s attack scythed through Wycombe consistently and he was taken off with 15 minutes left 5
Josh Scowen: The deepest of Wycombe’s three centre midfielders, Scowen was given too much responsibility for containing Sunderland’s transitional play but nevertheless made some key interceptions 6
Daryl Horgan: Horgan’s primary role was to link the play as Wycombe transitioned forward, which he did well without having any spectacular moments. Subbed off 10 minutes into the second half 6
Jordan Obita: Wycombe had little joy down the left and Obita was no exception. Subbed off on 64 minutes after a poor performance 4
Sam Vokes: As the physical presence who Wycombe’s crosses were aimed for, Vokes was always a threat but never managed to find the net 6
Lewis Wing: A 54th minute substitute, Wing had limited influence as Sunderland sealed their win 6
Brandon Hanlan: Hanlan came on in the 64th minute but like Wing he had little impact 6
Adebayo Akinfenwa: Brought on for the last appearance of his career, Akinfenwa, 40, failed to write the dream final chapter 6
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