Sunderland shackle Portsmouth to reach League One playoff final

Soccer Football - League One Play-Off Semi Final Second Leg - Portsmouth v Sunderland- Fratton Park, Portsmouth, Britain - May 16, 2019 Portsmouth's Tom Naylor in action with Sunderland's George Honeyman Action Images/John SIbley

(Reuters) - Sunderland maintained their hopes of climbing back up English football's pyramid by booking a place in the League One playoff final after holding out for a 0-0 draw at Portsmouth on Thursday to seal a 1-0 aggregate victory.

Sunderland, who were in the Premier League two years ago, showed little attacking ambition and had to rely on three vital saves from goalkeeper Jon McLaughlin to see them through to the final while hosts Portsmouth also hit the bar.

The north-east club, who have been English champions six times, will face either Charlton Athletic or Doncaster Rovers in the final at Wembley on May 26 for the right to be promoted to the Championship, England's second tier.

Soccer Football - League One Play-Off Semi Final Second Leg - Portsmouth v Sunderland- Fratton Park, Portsmouth, Britain - May 16, 2019 Sunderland manager Jack Ross celebrates after the final whistle Action Images/John SIbley

Sunderland spent 10 consecutive seasons in the Premier League before going down in 2017 and were then relegated to the third tier of English football, with their turbulent year being famously captured in a Netflix documentary series.

(Reporting by Richard Martin; editing by Ken Ferris)

Soccer Football - League One Play-Off Semi Final Second Leg - Portsmouth v Sunderland- Fratton Park, Portsmouth, Britain - May 16, 2019 Portsmouth's Matthew Clarke is held back by Sunderland's Alim Ozturk Action Images/John SIbley

Soccer Football - League One Play-Off Semi Final Second Leg - Portsmouth v Sunderland- Fratton Park, Portsmouth, Britain - May 16, 2019 Sunderland's Max Power and Luke O'Nien celebrate after the final whistle Action Images/John SIbley

Soccer Football - League One Play-Off Semi Final Second Leg - Portsmouth v Sunderland- Fratton Park, Portsmouth, Britain - May 16, 2019 Sunderland manager Jack Ross celebrates after the final whistle Action Images/John SIbley

Soccer Football - League One Play-Off Semi Final Second Leg - Portsmouth v Sunderland- Fratton Park, Portsmouth, Britain - May 16, 2019 Sunderland's Chris Maguire in action with Portsmouth's Craig MacGillivray Action Images/John SIbley

Soccer Football - League One Play-Off Semi Final Second Leg - Portsmouth v Sunderland- Fratton Park, Portsmouth, Britain - May 16, 2019 Sunderland's Max Power and Luke O'Nien celebrate after the final whistle Action Images/John SIbley

Soccer Football - League One Play-Off Semi Final Second Leg - Portsmouth v Sunderland- Fratton Park, Portsmouth, Britain - May 16, 2019 Portsmouth's Tom Naylor and Sunderland's Chris Maguire clash Action Images/John SIbley

Soccer Football - League One Play-Off Semi Final Second Leg - Portsmouth v Sunderland- Fratton Park, Portsmouth, Britain - May 16, 2019 Portsmouth's Tom Naylor in action with Sunderland's George Honeyman Action Images/John SIbley

Soccer Football - League One Play-Off Semi Final Second Leg - Portsmouth v Sunderland- Fratton Park, Portsmouth, Britain - May 16, 2019 Portsmouth's Oliver Hawkins shoots at goal Action Images/John SIbley

Soccer Football - League One Play-Off Semi Final Second Leg - Portsmouth v Sunderland- Fratton Park, Portsmouth, Britain - May 16, 2019 Sunderland's Lee Cattermole confronts Portsmouth fans after Sunderland's Luke O'Nien falling in Action Images/John SIbley

Soccer Football - League One Play-Off Semi Final Second Leg - Portsmouth v Sunderland- Fratton Park, Portsmouth, Britain - May 16, 2019 Sunderland's Max Power, Jon McLaughlin and Luke O'Nien celebrate after the final whistle Action Images/John SIbley