Championship

FULHAM advanced to next week’s Championship play-off final despite a 2-1 home loss to Cardiff City after edging past their opponents 3-2 on aggregate.
They will face local rivals Brentford, who beat Swansea City by the same aggregate score after Wednesday’s 3-1 victory, in an all south-west London final at Wembley next week.

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Fulham celebrate after sneaking into the Championship play-off finalCredit: News Group Newspapers Ltd

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But Cardiff were left to ponder another season in the ChampionshipCredit: Reuters
In a furious start, Cardiff, who had lost the first leg 2-0, stunned the hosts after eight minutes with centre back Curtis Nelson’s header.
But Fulham struck back 24 seconds after the restart, snatching an equaliser through Neeskens Kebano to restore their two-goal advantage in the tie.
After conceding possession to Fulham for the rest of the first half, substitute Lee Tomlin put Cardiff back in front two minutes after the restart to set up a tense second half.
Cardiff keeper Alex Smithies kept his team in the game on several occasions with a string of superb saves, including tipping an Aboubakar Kamara shot onto the post in the 68th minute.

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Cardiff took the lead when Curtis Nelson headed homeCredit: News Group Newspapers Ltd

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Neeskens Kebano netted the equaliser just a minute after Nelson’s goalCredit: Rex Features

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Neeskens Kebano levelled things up just seconds after Cardiff took the leadCredit: News Group Newspapers Ltd
But despite late Cardiff pressure for a goal that would have sent the game into extra time, Fulham hung on to earn the chance to return to the Premier League after one season in the second tier.
Captain Tom Cairney was relieved to get over the line and back to Fulham’s second Sky Bet Championship play-off final in three years.
He told Sky Sports: “It wasn’t pretty at all. It was the worst start you can think of.
“These 2-0 leads are a bit weird in your head. It feels comfortable but is not at the same time.

“I think we let ourselves down a little bit by not playing our normal game, and we invited pressure.
“But, look, we showed a different side to us at times as well in the second half especially.
“When our backs were against the wall, we dug in deep and we got over the line.”

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Lee Tomlin gave Cardiff real hope when he pinged one homeCredit: News Group Newspapers Ltd

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Lee Tomlin takes the plaudits after scoring with his first touchCredit: Reuters
And Fulham boss Scott Parker added: “The way the game panned out tonight was not how we expected.
“We realised the task ahead of us and a wounded animal who came here with nothing to lose put us under an incredible amount of pressure at times.
“There is no denying we didn’t deal with that well enough and struggled at times.
“There is a psychological element as a game goes on, with a final at stake, and you see a bit of nervousness in us.”
“We are disappointed in our performance tonight even though we got the job done.

“We showed a different side to us and had to face up to a relentless onslaught at times.
“We move on and dust ourselves down. We have got to the final and it is up for grabs.
“Tuesday is going to be a totally different game. We need to stay bright and positive.” More

GRIFFIN PARK received the perfect send-off as Brentford booked their place in Tuesday night’s Championship play-off final.
Ollie Watkins and Emiliano Marcondes scored in the first 15 minutes to overturn Swansea’s 1-0 first-leg advantage.

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It was party time for Brentford at the final whistleCredit: Rex Features

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Brentford manager Thomas Frank was understandably jubilantCredit: Rex Features
And Bryan Mbeumo scored straight after half-time but Rhian Brewster pulled one back with 12 minutes left to set up a nerve-racking finale.
Everything had seemed scripted for one last glorious night.
Even the opponents you could not make up for the 116-year-old ground’s swansong in Swansea.
After blowing automatic promotion by losing the last two games of the regular season against Stoke and Barnsley – as well as losing at the Liberty on Sunday – Brentford would have been forgiven for feeling the jitters.

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Swansea defender Ben Cabnago was left distraught at the endCredit: Getty Images – Getty
Especially when you throw in the fact they have not won a single play-off game for 11 matches, spanning 18 years.
But last night, not a chance. They came out like a train… or should that be a slick, fast BMW.
The trio of Benrahma, Mbeumo and Watkins – who have scored a staggering 57 goals between them – had incredibly not scored in the last three games.
They were motoring after just 11 minutes with Watkins firing his 26th goal of the season.

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Brentford are through to the Championship play-off final after seeing off SwanseaCredit: Getty Images – Getty
But it was all about the pass. Mathias Jensen’s defence-splitting ball from midfield was like threading a needle.
Watkins was on to in a flash and slotted past Edwin Mulder.
And the tie was turned on what felt like a blink of an eye – but it was in fact four minutes later.
Benrahma got free down the left, as he so often does.
He cut back on his right foot and delivered a cross of pure quality for Marcondes, who had lost his marker, to head powerfully home.

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Things got heated towards the end of the game when Brentford manager Thomas Frank clashed with Swansea midfielder Connor RobertsCredit: Huw Evans Picture Agency
Yet Swansea had a great chance to put a spanner in the works when Conor Gallagher got free down the other end.
But his shot which could have levelled the tie was superbly saved by David Raya to his left.
However, the Bees charged straight down the other end as Benrahma wiggled free down the left and struck an angled effort that his the left post and rolled across the face of goal.
And if you thought Brentford got out of the traps quick in the first half, that was nothing compared to after the break when they added a third almost immediately.
Rico Henry – wrongly sent off in the first leg and rescinded on review – got on an overlap on the left and sent over a superb cross.
The ball was slightly behind Mbeumo but the French winger managed to turn and fire a volley past Mulder for a brilliant goal.
Ethan Pinnock then headed over from a Benrahma cross as Brentford continued to attack.
But Swansea knew they had to start gambling to stand a chance of getting themselves back into the match and started to get a foothold.
And Raya had to fingertip a powerful shot from Connor Roberts over the bar.
Swansea made it a nervy last 12 minutes by pulling one back.
Pontus Jansson made a real hash of clearing and Brewster cashed in with a wonderful lob over Raya.
Benrahma looked like he would settle things as he ran through down the other end but his effort thumped off the bar.

The referee added six minutes stoppage time and Benrahma was so close again but fired just over from distant.
Swansea won a corner at the death and Mulder was sent up but the Bees held on.
Brentford await the winners of the other semi-final between Fulham and Cardiff City on Thursday, with the London side leading 2-0 from the first leg. More