Teenager Tommy Watson scored a 95th-minute winner to send Sunderland up to the Premier League and deny Sheffield United in the Championship play-off final at Wembley Stadium.
The 19-year-old, who is joining Brighton and Hove Albion next season, curled a low effort past Michael Cooper to secure the Black Cats’ return to the top flight for the first time in eight years.
It was an incredible end to a match in which they had been second best for large parts.
Tyrese Campbell had given the Blades a deserved first-half lead and Harrison Burrows would have had a second but for a video assistant referee (VAR) call for offside.
Somehow the Wearside club hung in there and equalised through Eliezer Mayenda’s fine goal on 76 minutes.
Then with United down to 10 men temporarily having used all five substitutes after defender Anel Ahmedhodzic went off with a head injury, Watson took advantage of the extra space in the most dramatic way possible.