Hull City secured a dramatic return to the Premier League after Oli McBurnie scored a 95th-minute winner against Middlesbrough at Wembley.
The victory ended the club's nine-year absence from the top flight.
Dramatic Finish at Wembley
Substitute Yu Hirakawa broke down the left flank to deliver a low cross into the box.
Middlesbrough goalkeeper Sol Brynn fumbled the ball directly into the path of McBurnie, who tapped it in from six yards out.
The goal sparked wild celebrations among Hull City fans.
Head coach Sergej Jakirovic masterminded a tactical victory despite a highly disruptive preparation period.
The buildup was overshadowed by the Spygate saga, which forced the Bosnian coach to spend over a week analyzing the wrong opponents.
Southampton's subsequent expulsion from the tournament prompted a sudden change of plans, forcing Hull City to quickly prepare for Middlesbrough instead.
Hull City spent most of the match managing Middlesbrough's substantial possession before launching a decisive counterattack deep into injury time.
Middlesbrough dominated the ball throughout the sweltering afternoon, controlling 76% of possession by the first mid-half drinks break.
However, they consistently failed to test Hull City goalkeeper Ivor Pandur.
Middlesbrough registered zero shots on target during the match.
The introduction of Hayden Hackney from the substitute bench failed to break down Hull City's disciplined defensive shape.
Hull City nearly opened the scoring before half-time when McBurnie's header deflected off Adilson Malanda and struck the crossbar.
The Scottish striker made no mistake with his final opportunity.
Remarkable Turnaround for Hull City
The victory provides relief for the English Football League's legal department following previous statements from the Hull City camp.
Owner Acun Ilicali had vowed to instruct his lawyers if they lost, questioning why Middlesbrough was reinstated after being knocked out.
“Now the boys are in the stadium and they will not hear me,” Ilicali stated before kick-off, suggesting they would argue Hull should have been declared winners or Wrexham inserted into the semi-final.
The legal arguments are now academic following Hull City's triumph.
A little over a year ago, Hull City narrowly avoided relegation to League One, staying up solely due to a superior goal difference.
They entered the current campaign under a transfer fee embargo that was eventually reduced from three windows to two.
The restriction forced them to rely entirely on free agents to rebuild their squad, including top scorer McBurnie.
Jakirovic revealed that the initial pre-season target was merely to secure a top 10 finish in the division.
“But I thought that would be difficult,” Jakirovic said regarding those early expectations.
For Middlesbrough, the loss marked a painful end to their campaign after falling short in both the playoff semi-final and final.
The defeat extends Middlesbrough's difficult record at Wembley, where they have now suffered six losses in six visits.
