Match Preview | Sunderland (H)

15 May 2023

Luton Town return to Kenilworth Road a goal down with a place at Wembley Stadium at stake in the play-off semi-final second leg against Sunderland on Tuesday evening.

The Hatters took the lead 11 minutes into the first leg through Elijah Adebayo before Amad Diallo and Trai Hume turned the game around in the Black Cats’ favour.

This tie will go to extra-time and potentially a penalty shootout if the Hatters win by one goal in the 90 minutes.

Please read the Love Football, Protect The Game message to supporters to remain in the stands before, during and after the game.

Rob Edwards said:

(Click HERE to watch Rob’s pre-match press conference in full)

“The first goal is important, but we’ve been very good at getting the first goal this season, probably as good as anyone in the league at getting the first goal. I suppose the more first goals you do get, you can get pegged back a little bit more than other teams as well, which happened on Saturday.

“In this particular game now, getting the first goal will level the tie up and then it’s back in the balance completely, so it will be important. It’s not the be-all and end-all, you can come back from two-down as well and you’ve got to keep believing right until the very end, but the first goal will obviously be key.”

The opposition:

Sunderland pipped Millwall to the last play-off spot on the final day of the season with a 3-0 win at Preston and come into the play-off semi-final nine games unbeaten.

The Black Cats have not lost since March and have found form at the right time, which contributed to breaking into the top six.

Manchester United loanee Amad Diallo has netted twice against the Hatters this season after his spectacular free-kick found the top corner in the first leg.

Former Tottenham Hotspur winger Jack Clarke contributed to the tie with an assist from a short corner for Sunderland’s second goal on Saturday, adding to his 20 goal contributions during the regular season.

Last time we met at Kenilworth Road:

Luton Town shared the points with Sunderland at Kenilworth Road back in October.

Carlton Morris opened the scoring on the stroke of half-time after good play from Alfie Doughty on the right before Elliot Embleton equalised for the Black Cats in the second half.

Ticket information:

Tickets for this fixture have now sold out. Thank you all for your support!

There will be a Buy One Get One Free offer inside the stadium for all drinks from 6:30pm until 7:15pm. This offer includes Beers, Hot Drinks, Water and Soft Drinks. This offer is only available inside the stadium and does not include the Burger Bar.

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Selected international audiences will be able to watch the game live on iFollow with a match pass, click HERE to find out which countries have been selected.

Danny Hylton and Wayne Turner will be on iFollow Hatters commentary alongside Simon Pitts, audio match passes are available for every match for £2.50.

The officials:

Referee: Simon Hooper

Assistant Referees: Adrian Holmes and Mark Scholes

Fourth Official: Andrew Madley

The man in the middle at Kenilworth Road will be Simon Hooper.

He has not taken charge of a Hatters game yet this season.

Hooper has taken charge of 29 games this season – 27 of which were in the Premier League – handing out 101 yellow cards and 1 red card.

Match Previews

Match Reports

Play-Off Semi-Final 2nd Leg Report | Luton Town 2-0 Sunderland

16 May 2023

The Hatters booked their place at Wembley for the Sky Bet Championship play-off final on Saturday week by overturning a one-goal deficit against Sunderland at a cauldron-like Kenilworth Road.

Central defenders Gabe Osho and Tom Lockyer got the first-half goals as Rob Edwards' side came through 3-2 on aggregate in front of a passionate, proud crowd under the Kenny lights.

Rob Edwards made just one change to the whole squad, as forward Joe Taylor came onto the bench in place of Luke Freeman.

On loan goalkeeper Ethan Horvath and forward Carlton Morris were both making their 50^th appearance for the club, and it was against the backdop of a wall of noise that both teams came out before kick-off.

Town were on the front foot from the off, and although Alex Pritchard fired a free-kick from distance over the bar, the Hatters had the lead by the tenth minute.

The Main Stand roar when Amari'i Bell took a throw on the left almost pushed the ball towards the Sunderland byline, and when Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu's persistence earned a corner, Clark swung it in and Osho stabbed home from close range after Tom Lockyer won the initial header.

Kenilworth Road erupted, but Sunderland responded and within three minutes Horvath produced a brilliant save to keep out a set piece that came off Elijah Adebayo's head at the near post, with the visitors' appeal for a penalty for handball against Amari'i Bell turned down as the ball ricocheted onto the upright.

The Hatters almost doubled their lead on 22 minutes when Patterson couldn't hold Alfie Doughty's left-wing cross, but Trai Hume got back to hack it off the line, only for the ball to hit Pierre Ekwah and head back towards the goal, with Luke O'Nien completing the clearance

Town were pushing relentlessly and after O'Nien had been booked for a foul on Adebayo, Clark whipped the free-kick in for Morris to head at goal, with Patterson making a good diving save before Lockyer almost netted, only for his glancing header from Adebayo's cross to drift just wide of the far post.

Drameh and Clark combined on the right to set Adebayo racing to the byline, but Morris couldn't steer his effort on target as he got across his man at the near post.

The second goal eventually came two minutes before the break when the Black Cats could only clear another corner as far as Drameh on the edge of the box. For the umpteenth time in the half, the on-loan Leeds right-back picked up the loose ball and fed it back to Doughty, who arced a beautiful cross into the box for Lockyer to head emphatically past Patterson.

Clark was presented with a glorious chance to add a third just 21 seconds into the second half, as O'Nien completely missed his kick, then Patterson attempted to pass it to Lynden Gooch on the left, but instead played it straight to the feet of the Town midfielder, who was well off target with his shot with the goal gaping.

Sunderland survived again, twice, as two Doughty corners from the right - won by some brilliant pressing by Drameh on Gooch - caused concern in the six-yard box as first Ekwah had to divert Clark's flick over his own bar, then Adebayo nodded over from close range in the centre of the goal.

The 10-goal striker then took too long to get his shot away when Morris set him free into the box on the hour, before getting his head on a Clark corner, only for Roberts to head off the line by the post.

The visitors probed, looking for an opening, and after a period of possession where the Hatters couldn't get out of their own half, Roberts cut in from the right and bent a left-footed shot over the bar with 13 minutes remaining.

Adebayo blazed over with just under ten to go after Doughty cut the ball back from another short corner routine, then Edwards made his first change, Allan Campbell on in place of the tireless Clark.

Black Cats' substitute Edouard Michut fired high and handsome as injury-time approached, then Drameh missed an open goal as he raced clear with Patterson stranded after foing up for a corner.

The Hatters had dug in and blocked, chased down every loose pass, left everything out there and deservedly secured their passage to the Arch with a phenomenal display.

Roll on Saturday May 27th!

TOWN: Horvath, Drameh, Osho, Lockyer, Bell, Doughty, Nakamba, Mpanzu, Clark (Campbell 83'), Morris, Adebayo.

Subs: Shea, Potts, Berry, Burke, Onyedinma, Taylor.

Goals: Osho 10', Lockyer 43'

BLACK CATS: Patterson, Roberts, Gooch (77'), O’Nien, Diallo, Clarke, Pritchard (Alese 57'), Neil (Ba 77'), Gelhardt (Michut 64'), Hume, Ekwah.

Subs: Bass, Lihadji, Anderson.

Att: 10,013 (1,036 away)