Huddersfield 0-0 Reading (Huddersfield win 4-3 on pens)
Paul Doyle was lucky enough to be at Wembley for the Guardian and has filed this on-the-whistle report on a magical day for Huddersfield fans, that turned into yet another Wembley showpiece Reading would like to forget.
I've just seen Schindler's penalty again ...
Ooh, he didn’t get hold of it properly at all! It was accuracy that ensured it went in, because there was very little power behind his effort. Ali Al-Habsi stretched every sinew of his 6ft 4in frame, but couldn’t prevent the ball from creeping just inside the left upright.
An email from Steven Hughes
“Huddersfield bravely tempting fate by having Schindler taking the fifth penalty,” he writes. Could’ve been a paper headline of ‘Schindler’s Miss’.”
Well Steven, hopefully he has a few too many during the celebrations tonight and is pictured falling out of a nightclub with his trousers at half-mast, then we can go with “Schindler’s Pissed”. As it is, some lame “Schindler Lifts” about Huddersfield going up will have to do.
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Huddersfield win promotion: And the cup that goes with it. The tiny Terriers from Yorkshire will be yipping and yapping at the heels of the Premier League big boys next season after securing promotion in the most dramatic fashion imaginable.
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Huddersfield win promotion: Huddersfield’s players go up to collect their trophy, led by their manager David Wagner. In an innovative wheeze, Sky Sports appear to have given Collin Quaner a selfie-stick with which to record proceedings. I’m not sure that’s a great idea. In fact I’m sure it’s a terrible idea that must never be allowed happen again.
Huddersfield win promotion: Reading’s players remain out on the pitch, each enduring their own long, dark teatime of the soul. Danny Williams is inconsolable, lying on his back with his head in his hands, as his shoulders shake with the power of his sobs.
Huddersfield win promotion: “I think we’ve got our just desserts here,” says Huddersfield goalkeeper Danny Ward, who lays the credit for his team’s amazing team spirit at the door of manager David Wagner. “He’s brought in some very big characters,” he says. As Huddersfield’s players and backroom staff celebrate, their chairman Dean Hoyle looks on in total shock from the posh seats. He looks genuinely ashen-faced, as if he can’t believe what he’s just seen unfold.
HUDDERSFIELD TOWN WIN PROMOTION
After a wait of 45 years, Huddersfield are back in the top flight. They did it the hard way, coming from behind to go through on penalties. “I think nobodies feeling 100% confident under this pressure, but you have to do it,” says Christopher Schindler, who put away the winning penalty. The former 1860 Munich man looks to be the coolest man in Wembley.
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Christopher Schindler wins it for Huddersfield.
Reading 3-4 Huddersfield: It’s a brilliant penalty, low and into the bottom left-hand corner. Ali Al-Habsi guessed the right way, but still couldn’t keep it out. Huddersfield win the play-off final and promotion to the Premier League.
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Jordan Obita misses for Reading.
Reading 3-3 Huddersfield: Danny Ward saves a poor effort.
Aaron Mooy scores for Huddersfield
Reading 3-3 Huddersfield: It’s all square
Moore misses for Reading
Reading 3-2 Huddersfield: He skies it over the crossbar. Reading’s advantage is gone.
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Nahki Wells scores for Huddersfield
Reading 3-2 Huddersfield: Reading still have the advantage.
Kelly scores for Reading.
Reading 3-1 Huddersfield: The substitutue shoots high into the roof of the net. Brilliant.
Hefele misses for Huddeersfield
Reading 2-1 Huddersfield: An awful penalty. AL Habsi saves easily.
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Danny Williams scores for Reading
Reading 2-1 Huddersfield: Low, down the centre ... but Ward dives out of the way.
Chris Lowe scores for Huddersfield
Reading 1-1 Huddersfield: He shoots lowe(!) and hard, making no mistake.
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Kermorgant scores for Reading ...
Reading 1-0 Huddersfield: There’s no panenka as he fires into the bottom left corner.
The penalties will be taken into the Huddersfield end ...
We’ll be underway once again very shortly, once goalkeepers Danny Ward and Ali Al Habsi take up possession. Reading will take the first spot kick.
FULL-TIME: HUDDERSFIELD 0-0 READING
Peep! Peep! Peeeeep! For the third time in history, the second tier play-off final will be settled by penalties. Reading striker Yann Kermorgant played in one of the other two, costing Leicester City a place in the Premier League with one of the worst panenka efforts ever seen against Cardiff City in 2010.
ET30: Chris Lowe sends a wonderful delivery looping across the face of goal, but none of his team-mates can get on the end of it. Reading’s defence went to sleep there!
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ET29: Huddersfield win a free-kick wide on the right flank, in what will almost certainly be the final scoring opportunity of the game.
ET28: Jordan Obita does well to beat Collin Quaner in a footrace as the Huddersfield man hared down the right flank to try to get in behind the Reading defence. Throw-in for the Terriers, deep in Reading territory.
ET27: Nahki Wells is picked out with a pass from Kasey Palmer just inside the Reading penalty area. He takes a touch to steady himself, before drilling a poor effort low, hard and a foot or two wide of the left upright. That was a decent chance.
ET24: Reading win a throw-in deep inside the Huddersfield half, but Chris Gunter has no ball. One is eventually found and rolled his way, he chucks it to Liam Kelly. The youngster from Basingstoke plays it back to Gu8nter, who is upended by Jonathan Hogg. That’s Jonathan Hogg, who is already on a booking and is very, very fortunate indeed not to get a second one for that foul.
ET23: On the touchliner, David Wagner urges on his players iwth a series of encouraging handclaps. I’m not sure what more they have left in the tank - most of these footballers are running on fumes and adrenalin at this stage.
ET21: Garath McCleary is flagged as he sprints to chase a through-ball from deep. That was a mite careless; he could have done more to stay onside there.
ET19: Tiago Ilori dispoessess Rajiv Van La Parra with a perfectly timed, but risky tackle inside his own penalty area. The Huddersfield crowd appeal for a penalty, but La Parra doesn’t. None is forthcoming.
ET18: Collin Quaner wins a corner for Huddersfield after industrious work down the inside right. Aaron Mooy sends the ball towards the far post, but it’s too high for Hefele, who leaps under pressure from Liam Moore.
ET17: Huddersfield attack down the right flank, with Cranie on the ball. Christian Schindler plays a through ball down the inside right channel, but Tyler Blackett hacks clear.
Second half of extra time: Huddersfield 0-0 Reading
ET16: For the final time in this match, Reading get the ball rolling. Will either side be courageous enough to go out and try to win this £170m winner-takes-all match? We’ll find out soon enough.
Half-time in extra time: Huddersfield 0-0 Reading
Peep! It remains scoreless, with 15 minutes left to play in a game that’s being played at walking pace by the 22 players ... most of whom are absolutely exhausted. Penalties look inevitable and what neutral wouldn’t want them at this late stage. The players get another pep-talk from their managers ahead of one last push to win the game before it goes to spot-kicks.
ET15+1: Reading advance down the right, the ball’s played to McCleary on the edge of the penalty area by Kelly. McCleary works the ball on to his left foot and sends a low drive flashing wide of the right upright.
ET14: Jordan Obita gets booked for a rugby tackle on Quanar after gifting possession to the Huddersfield player high up the field. Nobody wants to be the player who costs their side such an important game at this late stage and Obita takes his caution without any fuss. He could have no complaints.
ET13: There’s a break in play as Hefele, who looks totally exhausted, receives treatment for some sort of injury.
ET11: Garath McCleary shoots high and wide from distance for Reading, moments after Kasey Palmer had tried to put Rajiv Van La Parra through on goal with a deftly weighted pass at the other end. Reading goalkeeper Ali Al-Habsi was out quickly to stop that attack.
ET10: Reading substitution: John Swift off, Liam Kelly on. both managers have used all their substitutions with 20 minutes of extra time to be played.
ET8: Huddersfield substitution: one Chelsea loanee replaces another, as Kasey Palmer comes on for Izzy Brown ... who can also take a seat on the bench and think about what he didn’t do!
ET7: The game is now being played at a very pedestrian tempo, which is unsurprising considering both sets of players look pretty dead on their feet. Reading are dominating possession, but doing nothing with it.
ET5: The camera cuts to the Huddersfield bench, where skipper Tommy Smith can be seen slowly hobbling up the steps on crutches with an ice-pack around his left ankle and foot. Heaven forbid any of his team-mates or the club’s back-room staff would offer the fella a seat closer to the front!!!
ET4: John Swift touches around the corner to win a yard on Jonathan Hogg, but manages to accidentally hoof the ball out of play with his standing foot while shaping to get a cross into the Huddersfield penalty area.
ET2: Huddersfield win a corner. Aaron Mooy picks out Brown at the near post, but the striker’s downward header is hacked clear by Liam Moore.
Extra-time: Huddersfield 0-0 Reading
ET1: Huddersfield lose the toss at the start of extra time and Izzy Brown gets the ball rolling again. If his side lose this match, he’ll never, ever forget that sitter he missed from four yards out in the first half.
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Full-time at Wembley: Huddersfield 0-0 Reading
Peep! Peeep! Peeeeeep! The deadlock remains unbroken at the end of normal time, which means these shattered players must rouse themselves for 30 minutes of extra time .. and possibly penalties.
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90+8 min: Nahki Wells shoots low and hard from distance to try to win it for Huddersfield at the death. Ali Al-Habsi gets down to msother his effort.
90+7 min: Reading win a throw-in deep in Huddersfield territory, but after receiving the ball outside the area, John Swift drags a fairly feeble effort wide from distance.
90+6 min: Extra time looks inevitable, with neither side willing to blink first in this scrappy but entertaining battle of wills.
90+5 min: Huddersfield attack down the right, but run out of steam due to lack of numbers when Izzy Brown fails to prevent a Mooy pass from running out of play.
90+2 min: Garath McCleary crosses from the left after taking on and beating his full-back, but Chris Gunter is the man on the end of it and he sends a difficult chance looping over the bar off his forehead.
90+1: Huddersfield corner. Aaron Mooy sends the ball way, way too deep and it eventually bounces out of play. Hefele goes down with cramp.
90 min: We approach the end of normal time, but we can expect at least five minutes of added time after that delay for treatment to Smith. No sooner do I type that than the board goes up: seven minutes.
87 min: After what looked a fairly innocuous challenge with Yann Kermorgant, Tommy Smith leaves the field on a stretcher. In my very inexpert medical opinion, I suspect he may have broken a metatarsal, as he appeared to catch the sole of Kermorgant’s boot with his follow through after kicking the ball. He’s replaced by Martin Cranie. Smith’s played superbly today and will be missed.
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85 min: After four months out with hamstring injuries, Huddersfield’s Casey Palmer is ready to come on for Izzy Brown. Still treating Tommy Smith, Huddersfield’s physios tell Wagner to hold fire as it looks as if Tommy Smith may need to be replaced instead.
84 min: Tommy Smith receives treatment for an injury, while the rest of the players take an impromptu drinks break. Huddersfield manager David Wagner is looking a lot more animated on the touchline compared to his opposite number Jaap Stam.
82 min: In acres of space in the Huddersfield penalty area, Tiago Ilori puts a great chance wide off a defender after snatching at a cross from Jordan Obita. Hefele it was who put the ball out, going perilously close to sending a looping header into his own net. Nothing comes from the ensuing set-piece.
81 min: Chris Gunter shakes off his man to get clear down the right flank. His cross to Yann Kermorgant is cut out well by Hefele. Good defending.
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79 min: From the free-kick, John Swift attempts to dink the ball over the top for McCleary to chase and poke home, but Christopher Schindler is wise to the pair’s game and clears with a minimum of fuss.
78 min: Garath McCleary wins a free-kick for Reading about 35 yards from the Huddersfield goal, drawing the foul from Hefele as he tried to turn the defender.
76 min: A chance for Huddersfield! Collin Quaner snatches at a cross from Aaron Mooy, with his team-mate Nahki Wells in a much better position to shoot. Mooy did well on the right flank to sit Williams on his backside and cut inside and his delivery to Wells looked perfect, until the over-enthusiastic substitute intervened and poked a rushed effort wide.
75 min: Tommy Smith takes one for his team, picking up a booking for a foul on Danny Williams that prevents the Reading midfielder getting away on the break.
74 min: Reading substitution: Lewis Grabban off, a not-fully-fit Garath McCleary on.
73 min: Half-chances at both ends, with Lewis Grabban not quite getting on the end of an inviting cross from the right, before Ali Al-Habsi is quick off his line to grab a Van La Parra cross from the left.
70 min: Nahki Wells takes the free-kick himself, but it’s blocked by the defensive wall.
69 min: For Huddersfield, Mooy has a shot from the edge of the area but it’s blocked almost before it leaves his boot. Now Nahki Wells wins his side a free-kick within shooting range after going to ground upon being shoved in the back by chris Gunter.
68 min: The Sky cameras cut to celebrity Huddersfield Town fan and luvvie, Sir Patrick Stewart. It’s a surprise it’s taken them this long.
66 min: Huddersfield substitution: Elias Kachunga off, Collin Quaner on. Kachunga was also on a booking and had struggled to be fit for this game, but looks decidedly unimpressed at being hooked.
64 min: Reading substitution: Jordan Obita on for Joey van der Berg, who was beginning to look like a red card-in-waiting. Tyler Blackett moves into the back three for Reading, while Obita takes up a position as right wing-back.
61 min: Huddersfield win themselves a corner, which Aaron Mooy plays low and hard towards the edge of the six-yard box. In the ensuing melee, Hefele goes to ground under a challenge from Van Der Berg and appeals for a penalty, but none is forthcoming. Replays suggest that it was the correct decision by referee Neil Swarbrick. Van Der Berg took a wild swing at the ball, but didn’t appear to foul Hefele.
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60 min: Elias Kachunga gets booked for dissent, talking himself into a caution for complaining too much about a decision he felt didn’t go his way.
58 min: Reading have enjoyed 62% of the second half possession thus far and win a free-kick wide on the left flank for an Elias Kachunga foul on Tyler Blackett.The ball’s sent into the penalty area, where Danny Ward punches clear.
56 min: It’s been a very open start to the second half, with chances for both teams. The latest falls to Reading, as Lewis Grabban attempts to get past Michael Hefele to latch on to a through-ball, but doesn’t have the speed to out-run the Huddersfield defender.
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54 min: From an advanced position, Chris Gunter tries to send in a cross from the right flank. It’s put out for a corner, which Joey van der Berg sends deep. Yann Kermorgant hooks over at full stretch with an ambitious effort.
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52 min: Already on a yellow card, Joey van der Berg can consider himself a mite fortunate to avoid getting a second one in that attack by Huddersfield. He had a little tug on Kachunga’s shirt as the Huddersfield winger cut inside him before trying to tee up Smith.
50 min: Kachunga jinks in from the right flank and tries to play Tommy Smith in on goal. His pass is too weighty and a good chance goes to waste. Smith had given Tyler Blackett the slip there and was in acres of space.
49 min: Danny Williams is penalised for a foul on Lowe and is lucky to avoid a booking. He went right through the Huddersfield right-back.
48 min: John Swift gets on a through ball from George Evans to the edge of the Huddersfield penalty area and shoots at Danny Ward in the Huddersfield goal. A vision in magenta, Ward gets down quickly to parry.
46 min: Brown and Aaron Mooy combine down the right flank to tee-up Chris Lowe for a shot on goal from distance. His swerving effort does not trouble Ali Al-Habsi, who catches comfortably with his giant frame behind the ball.
Second half: Huddersfield 0-0 Reading
46 min: This goalless but entertaining and full-blooded game resumes with no changes in personnel on either side. A place in the Premier League is the prize on offer as Izzy Brown gets the ball rolling for the second half.
Some half-time viewing ...
We didn’t get this at Wembley today, but it’s surely only a matter of time. It’s a bit later than expected and it may not count as a hoverboard, but Back To The Future is beginning to look ever more prescient.
Half-time at Wembley: Huddersfield 0-0 Reading
Half-time: Neil Swarbrick signals for half-time and the troops troop off for their half-time refreshments. Reading have dominated possession, as expected, but it is Huddersfield who have had the two best chances. An unmarked Michael Heffele skimmed a header wide from eight yards, while Izzy Brown missed a glorious opportunity to put his side a goal up when somehow putting the ball wide from four yards out after getting on the end of a cross from the right.
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45+2 min: Yann Kermorgant sends in a cross from the left, which is put out for a Reading corner by Michael Hefele. The ball’s sent into the mixer, but Huddersfield clear.
45 min: We enter the first of two minutes of added time at the end of the first half. Rajiv van la Parra wriggles down the left flank and sends a cross towards Huddersfield’s loan striker Nahki Wells. Joey van der Berg is on hand to clear.
44 min: Joey van der Berg plays a speculative ball down the inside left channel for Lewis Grabban to chase, but there’s a mite too much welly on his delivery and the ball is shepherded out of play for a goal kick.
43 min: Danny Williams is penalised rather unfairly for what referee Neil Swarbrick judged to be a foul on Rajiv La Parre, who went down as if struck by lightning after the Reading player ran across his path.
42 min: As the clock ticks towards half-time, play between the two sides has slowed down considerably from the helter-skelter white-knuckle ride of earlier. Reading have created little of note in the way of goalscoring chances thus far, but are playing well nonetheless.
38 min: The middle third is the main battleground in a very feisty match. This time Jonathan Hogg wins a free-kick there as he shields the ball from Lewis Grabban and gets a shove in the back from the bearded Reading striker.
37 min: Another corner for Huddersfield, as Danny Williams sticks a leg out to divert an Izzy Brown effort out of play. Ali Al-Habsi isn’t sure whether or not to come for Mooy’s delivery towards the far post. He elects not to and the ball bounces out of play for a goal kick.
35 min: John Swift takes the free-kick, but his effort bounces harmlessly wide of the wide upright.
33 min: The tackles continue to fly in. This time, Aaron Mooy is penalised for a tackle on Yann Kermorgant as the Reading striker received the ball to feet with his back to goal. Free-kick for Reading, about 35 yards from the Huddersfield goal.
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30 min: Rajiv van la Parre crosses into the Reading penalty area from the inside left, but Joey van der Berg hoofs clear without letting the ball bounce. With one third of the 90 minutes gone, Huddersfield are ahead on points, but will be ruing bad misses by Michael Hefele and - particularly - Izzy Brown. The Chelsea loanee’s miss from four yards out was the stuff of nightmares.
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28 min: It remains scoreless, with Jaap Staam having ordered his team to advance about 10 yards further up the field in a bid to make life more difficult for Huddersfield Town. Jonathan Hogg challenges Danny Williams and gets booked for his troubles.
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26 min: Tommy Smith advances through the centre for Huddersfield and tries to play a through-ball to Izzy Brown. It’s cut out by Liam Moore.
24 min: Huddersfield win a corner after a Lowe cross is put out of play. Yann Kermorgant clears the outswinger from Aaron Mooy.
22 min: It being the 22nd minute, the crowd rise to pay another tribute to the 22 people who lost their lives in Manchester last week. As Lowe continues to receive treatment, there’s a minute’s applause. The German is passed fit to continue and play resumes.
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21 min: Yann Kermorgant picks out a Chris Gunter run up the right flank with a cross-field pass, but the Welshman’s run is blocked by Chris Lowe, who goes down injured and requires treatment.
20 min: In the Reading back three, Tiago Ilori clears brilliantly to cut out a cross from the right that bounced right in front of him.
18 min: Huddersfield skipper Tommy Smith goes down injured after having his achilles raked by Yann Kermorgant. The Reading striker gets booked for what looked a very nasty challenge.
16 mins: Joey van der Berg gets the first yellow card of the game after going off his feet and upending Elias Kachunga with a desperate lunge to prevent the Huddersfield winger from getting away from him. He’s taken one for the team there.
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14 min: Williams picks out Tyler Blackett on the left touchline for Reading, who are starting to get into this game after some early dominance by their opponents, who could be and probably should be two goals up already.
13 min: George Evans gets on the ball for Reading just inside his own half and is given time to play the ball wide to Daniel Williams on the far touchline.
12 min: Lewis Grabban turns his man about 20 yards from goal before curling an effort a few yards wide of the right upright.
10 min: Isiah Brown misses a wonderful chance to put Huddersfield ahead, shooting wide at the far post from a few yards out after great work down the right flank by Kachunga and Smith. Kachunga it was who drove the ball low and hard towards the far post, where Brown somehow shoots wide from three yards.
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9 min: Ali Al-Habsi comes under pressure again and sends the ball out of play with a long clearance out over the right touchline. Al Habsi isn’t the only Reading player coming under pressure - Huddersfield aren’t giving any of the Royals a moment to settle on the ball.
8 min: Town win a throw-in deep in Reading territory, but the ball is cleared with a mighty boot down the pitch.
6 min: Reading get forward down the left flank, from where Lewis Grabban crosses towards the far post. His delivery is cleared and Huddersfield embark on a counter-attack. It’s been a lively start.
4 min: Ali Al-Habsi is forced to hack the ball out of play for a throw-in after coming under pressure from Elias Kachunga. Moments later, Huddersfield win a free-kick wide on the left, which Aaron Mooy sends towards the far post. Hefele gives Joey van der Berg the slip but skims a header wide when scoring looked easier. A great opening chance for Huddersfield Town goes a begging.
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2 min: Huddersfield line up with a back four, while Reading are playing a back three and wing-backs. Reading win an early throw-in deep inside their own half. The ball’s flung forward and Lewis Grabban is penalised again after being adjudged, possibly unfairly, for being the aggressor in a tussle for the loose ball with Michael Heffele.
Huddersfield Town v Reading is go ...
1 min: After an impeccably observed minute’s silence from all present, Yann Kermorgant gets the ball rolling for Reading on referee Neil Swarbrick’s signal. Ali Al-Habsi gets an early touch in the Reading goal before Lewis Grabban concedes the first free-kick of the game by getting caught offside.
Today's colours ...
Reading’s players line up in their usual home kit of blue and white striped shirts, blue shorts, and blue and white striped socks. Huddersfield’s play in luminous yellow shirts with black stripes, black shorts and black socks. Before kick-off, there is a minute’s silence for the tragic events at Manchester’s MEN Arena last week. “We stand together” is the message across Wembley’s big screens.
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Pre-match niceties ...
The teams line up behind a red carpet and are introduced to a party of three dignitaries, none of whom I recognise. Wembley is packed to the rafters, a sea of blue and white. We’re just one rendition of the national anthem, led by British mezzo soprano Faryl Smith, away from kick off.
The teams are in the tunnel ...
The teams line up in the Wembley tunnel, with Huddersfield Town led out by David Wagner, dressed like Johnny Cash in a black suit and shirt. Reading are led out by Seamus Dolan, the 10-year-old son of the club’s former academy coach Eamonn Dolan, who died last year from cancer.
The managers speak ...
David Wagner: “At the end I think there will be no secrets between them and us,” says Huddersfield’s manager in his pre-match interview. “We know everything we have to know about them and they know everything they need to know about us. I hope that if we are on our best we will be very hard to beat.”
Jaap Stam: “A final is always different,” says Reading’s manager in an interview with Sky Sports. “Most of the time, finals are not always nice to look at because teams don’t want to risk everything and don’t want to make mistakes. Both teams here today like to retain possession. My players know what to do and what they’re allowed to do.”
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We must have a winner today ...
For anyone who may not be familiar with the play-off final format, in the event of the scores being level after 90 minutes we’ll go to extra time and then penalties, should spot-kicks be required.
Huddersfield Town v Reading line-ups ...
Huddersfield: Ward, Smith, Hefele, Schindler, Lowe, Hogg, Mooy, Kachunga, Brown, van La Parra, Wells.
Subs: Whitehead, Hudson, Holmes-Dennis, Coleman, Cranie, Quaner, Palmer.
Reading: Al Habsi, Tiago Ilori, Moore, van den Berg, Gunter, Evans, Williams, Blackett, Swift, Kermorgant, Grabban.
Subs: Beerens, Mendes, Obita, McCleary, Popa, Jaakkola, Kelly.
Referee: Neil Swarbrick (Lancashire)
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The teams are in at Wembley. Huddersfield v Reading under way at 3pm. Victory worth £170million pic.twitter.com/LX86zFBHu7
— Simon Peach (@SimonPeach) May 29, 2017
Both sides name unchanged line-ups ...
David Wagner has picked the same line-up that started the semi-final second leg against Sheffield Wednesday, with Elias Kachunga having been passed fit to start for the Terriers. Reading’s team is also unchanged from that which was victorious in the second leg of their semi-final against Fulham. We’ll have both line-ups for you in a couple of minutes.
The @wembleystadium gates are now open!
— EFL (@EFL) May 29, 2017
Welcome to the #PlayOffFinal, @ReadingFC and @htafcdotcom fans. 👋 pic.twitter.com/S4noqplJDW
Early team news ...
Having been forced off during the second half of the second leg of Huddersfield’s play-off semi-final win against Sheffield Wednesday, top scorer Elias Kachunga is expected to be fit enough to line up against Reading this afternoon. “He is working individually at the moment, but ‘Kacha’ is such a strong fitness guy who has played so many minutes, we think he will be okay,” said David Wagner. “If he is able to train on Sunday with the group without any issues, then he is ready.”
Kasey palmer, on loan from Chelsea, has been out for four months with hamstring issues and “is as fit as he can be after nearly four months out” but is unlikely to be risked by his manager after such a long spell on the sidelines. ““We have four days to go and we can see how he looks after every single training session,” said Wagner last week. “Everyone is 100% with him.”
Reading captain and central defender Paul McShane will miss out on today’s final as he serves a suspension after being sent of in his side’s play-off semi-final first leg against Fulham at Craven Cottage. Tiago Llori is likely to fill in for the Irish international. Winger Callum Harriott and striker Deniss Rakels remain out, but full-back Jordan Obita could return from injury after being stretchered off with a twisted ankle in the same match in which McShane saw red.
David Wagner v Jaap Stam
Few could have seen this coming at the start of the season after Huddersfield finished the last campaign 19th in the table with Reading just two places above them. At the start of this season, Reading manager Jaap Stam attempted to lower expectations at the Madejski Stadium by saying “you can’t expect us to finish in the top six”, before doing exactly that by steering his team to third place behind champions Newcastle and Brighton.
His opposite number David Wagner, famously a close friend and confidante of Liverpool boss Jürgen Klopp, has also performed heroics by getting Huddersfield Town – originally tipped by many as candidates for relegation because of their small budget – to today’s Wembley decider. The German’s side are slight favourites at to emerge triumphant from today’s contest, but the bookies have little between the sides in a test of nerve where absolutely anything could happen. Both league encounters between the sides were won by the host team, with each winning by the only goal of the game when the other came to town.
Welcome sports fans ...
A place in the Premier League and all the riches that go with it are up for grabs as Huddersfield take on Reading in this season’s Championship play-off final. Reading finished third in the table, four points clear of today’s opponents, but that particular statistic will count for little or nothing as the two teams go head-to-head at Wembley.
In purely monetary terms, today’s prize is worth at least £170m to the winning club, making this the most lucrative one-off match in world football and one that has served up some classic encounters over the years. Reading last played in the Premier League four years ago, while Huddersfield have their eye on a place in the English league’s top flight for the first time since 1972. Kick-off is at 3pm (BST), but we’ll be here with team news and build-up in the interim.
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