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Championship play-off final latest score and updates as Gustavo Hamer equalises
Luton Town play Coventry City in the Championship play-off final at Wembley for a place in the Premier League.
Both clubs were in League Two as recently as 2018 and are looking to complete remarkable journeys with promotion to the top-flight, in what is often known as football’s “richest game”.
Luton were a non-league club just nine years ago but their incredible rise through the divisions means they are just 90 minutes away from hosting the likes of Man City, Arsenal and Manchester United at Kenilworth Road next season.
But Coventry’s story is just as compelling – under Mark Robins they have battled back from the brink and are now on the verge of returning to the Premier League for the first time since 2001.
Only one team can make it on what is set to be a thrilling afternoon at Wembley. Follow live updates as Luton face Coventry in the Championship play-off final.
Luton vs Coventry LIVE: Latest Championship play-off final updates
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Luton Town face Coventry City at Wembley in the Championship play-off final, live on Sky Sports
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Both clubs are 90 minutes from the Premier League after incredible journeys through the divisions
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66’ GOAL! Hamer finishes off lovely Coventry counter-attack (COV 1-1 LUT)
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23’ GOAL! Clark lashes in opening goal after brilliant work from Adebayo (COV 0-1 LUT)
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11’ INJURY! Luton captain Lockyer stretchered off after just 11 minutes of play-off final (COV 0-0 LUT)
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5’ NO GOAL! Luton’s Osho offside after scrambling ball over the line from corner (COV 0-0 LUT)
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Both teams name unchanged sides for Championship play-off final
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Luton XI: Horvath, Drameh, Lockyer, Morris, Adebayo, Nakamba, Mpanzu, Clark, Bell, Osho, Doughty
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Coventry XI: Wilson, Doyle, McFadzean, Kelly, Norton-Cuffy, Allen, Sheaf, McNally, Gyokeres, Bidwell, Hamer.
CHANCE! Luton 1-1 Coventry
18:26 , Luke Baker
72 mins: Coventry are flying now. They have a corner which comes to nothing but then there’s another chance for Godden
He finds half a yard of space in the box, a great ball into feet by Gyokeres frees him but he can only fire over the top.
Luton 1-1 Coventry
18:24 , Luke Baker
69 mins: The Coventry fans are suddenly in fine voice. This game has a completely different feel to it now
GOAL! Luton 1-1 Coventry (Hamer 66’)
18:19 , Luke Baker
And they’re level! A quick counter-attack from Coventry and it’s game on! Doyle slides a lovely ball down the left to Gyokeres.
He is unselfish, looks up and finds Hamer running into the box and his first-time finish is beyond Horvath. Exactly what Coventry needed!
Luton 1-0 Coventry
18:17 , Luke Baker
65 mins: Nice counter-attack by Luton after a brilliant sliding tackle by Adebayo to win the ball. In fact, three good tackles form him to keep winning the ball. Morris and Clark link well but McNally blocks the cross for a corner.
Dangerous-looking corner but Coventry scramble clear.
Luton 1-0 Coventry
18:15 , Luke Baker
62 mins: Luton have settled down again now after their early second-half jitters. They press Coventry hard, although the Sky Blues do well to work their way around it.
Doyle then decides to try one from 40 yards and it’s not even remotely close. Miles over. Probably not the right choice in that situation, it’s fair to say…
Luton 1-0 Coventry
18:12 , Luke Baker
59 mins: Adebayo wins a free-kick for Luton out on the left. Doughty whips it in and Morris rises at the back post but can’t quite connect and fouls Bidwell anyway.
Better from the Hatters though
Luton 1-0 Coventry
18:08 , Luke Baker
55 mins: Coventry win the corner after a nice overlap and Bell is outjumped in the area by McNally but his header is harmlessly over the top. Another warning sign for Luton though – Coventry have been the better side since the break.
Luton 1-0 Coventry
18:06 , Luke Baker
53 mins: Osho and Bruke collide both going for the same ball – a bit of friendly fire between the two Luton men. They both need treatment so we have a stoppage in play.
Rob Edwards gathers his remaining players and gives them a quick talking-to. They need to settle down after a nervy start to this second half.
Luton 1-0 Coventry
18:04 , Luke Baker
50 mins: Deary me. Yet more confusion at the back for Luton! A harmless ball through sees Horvath and Osho get themselves confused and Godden almost nicks in. The ball cannons off him and loops goalwards but Luton get back to clear
Luton 1-0 Coventry
18:02 , Luke Baker
48 mins: Another warning sign for Coventry as Morris gets clean through but he’s flagged offside. Almost disaster at the other end though as Luton goalkeeper Horvath isn’t happy with the backpass and Bidwell closes him down but the ball cannons off the Coventry man, out for a goal kick
Luton 1-0 Coventry
17:59 , Luke Baker
46 mins: Matty Godden on at half-time for Coventry. A second genuine striker to play alongside Gyokeres.
Good start for Luton though as Cov’s Luke McNally is booked for a foul out wide. Doughty whips the cross in but it’s well defended
Luton 1-0 Coventry
17:58 , Luke Baker
46 mins: Back underway at Wembley. 45 minutes left in the ‘richest game in football’. Can Coventry respond? Not since Blackpool in 2010 have a team come from behind to win a Championship play-off final
HAL-TIME: Luton 1-0 Coventry
17:57 , Luke Baker
Here was confirmation of that great news about Tom Lockyer. It was very worrying scenes.
HALF TIME! Luton 1-0 Coventry
17:52 , Jamie Braidwood
Tom Lockyer has been taken to hospital after collapsing in the first half of the play-off final. He was conscious leaving the field and will undergo further tests.
HALF TIME! Luton 1-0 Coventry
17:41 , Jamie Braidwood
Here’s the moment Luton took the lead.
HALF TIME! Luton 1-0 Coventry
17:41 , Jamie Braidwood
Luton are halfway there – now only 45 minutes from the Premier League.
Despite the blow of Lockyer’s injury, Luton have been dominant are could have been out of sight.
Jordan Clark’s goal is the difference and Coventry are still in this.
Luton 1-0 Coventry
17:39 , Jamie Braidwood
45+6 mins: It would actually be a bit of a result for Coventry to get to half time only a goal down. Luton have been so much better, ever since Lockyer’s injury.
Mark Robins’ side will need to improve after the break though.
Luton 1-0 Coventry
17:36 , Jamie Braidwood
45+3 mins: Norton-Cuffy rouses Coventry with a run from the defence that needs three Luton players to take him down. Those Coventry fans in the shaded half at Wembley haven’t had much to shout about so far.
Luton 1-0 Coventry
17:32 , Jamie Braidwood
45 mins: There will be eight minutes of added time – mostly down to Lockyer’s injury.
Luton 1-0 Coventry
17:30 , Jamie Braidwood
43 mins: CHANCE! Coventry’s best moment by a mile! Horvath comes for a cross from the left but gets it all wrong. Hamer arrives at the back post but can’t keep his volley down!
That was Coventry’s first shot of the match.
NO GOAL! Luton 1-0 Coventry
17:27 , Jamie Braidwood
41 mins: Luton have the ball in the net for the third time – but it’s ruled out again!
It’s the right call though: Doughty roamed forward and had the chance to strike at goal. It’s blocked and as a Coventry defender attempts to hack clear, it deflects in off of Adebayo’s arm.
Luton 1-0 Coventry
17:25 , Jamie Braidwood
37 mins: Luton are crossing on sight at the moment and are winning every ball – this time Morris gets a touch on a ball from the right, but can’t make a good enough connection to trouble goalkeeper Wilson.
Luton 1-0 Coventry
17:24 , Jamie Braidwood
36 mins: Norton-Cuffy gets his first chance to get forward and run at the Luton defence but Doughty stands his ground and times his tackle well.
Luton 1-0 Coventry
17:21 , Jamie Braidwood
33 mins: Luton have been so impressive over the last 15 minutes – intense, direct, never giving Coventry a moment. Adebayo heads over after a cross from the right and it feels like a second Luton goal is inevitable.
Luton 1-0 Coventry
17:19 , Jamie Braidwood
31 mins: Another long ball looks for Morris, who peels off to the back post and then goes down in a heap along with Norton-Cuffy. But the referee points the other way! Both players had a hold of the other there.
Luton 1-0 Coventry
17:16 , Jamie Braidwood
28 mins: CHANCE! Luton should be two up! Coventry are a shambles defensively and are lucky to still be in this! Another long ball is hit towards Morris, who nods down to Adebayo. The goal was gaping but he can’t manage to volley in!
GOAL! Luton 1-0 Coventry (CLARK 23’)
17:09 , Jamie Braidwood
BREAKTHROUGH IN THE PLAY-OFF FINAL!
Jordan Clark lashes in a deserved opener for Luton Town! It came after brilliant work from Elijah Adebayo on the left wing, twisting and turning his defender to set up Clark. His touch was excellent, and allowed him to strike inside the near post!
It had been coming – Coventry are all over the place here.
Luton 0-0 Coventry
17:09 , Jamie Braidwood
21 mins: Coventry are all over the place here! Another long ball from Luton causes doubt in the backline and Coventry can’t deal with it. The ball breaks to Mpanzu, but his shot is bobbled straight at goalkeeper Wilson.
Luton 0-0 Coventry
17:06 , Jamie Braidwood
19 mins: Another half-chance for Luton and Morris! Coventry again just can’t clear their lines – it breaks to Morris in the box but he lashes over.
Luton 0-0 Coventry
17:04 , Jamie Braidwood
17 mins: It’s been a very nervy start from both Coventry and Luton – you can just feel the weight of the opportunity they’ve got in front of them.
Luton 0-0 Coventry
17:02 , Jamie Braidwood
14 mins: CLOSE! Wow – chaos in the Coventry defence almost gifts Luton the opener! A long ball downfield is not cleared by Coventry defender McFadzean – and almost allows Luton foward Morris to swipe home into an open goal! Morris wasn’t quite ready for it, and it bobbles wide.
Luton 0-0 Coventry
16:58 , Jamie Braidwood
11 mins: Tom Lockyer is stretchered off after just 11 minutes – that is horrible. The defender has such a key part of Luton’s rise.
Luton 0-0 Coventry
16:57 , Jamie Braidwood
8 mins: There is real concern here for Tom Lockyer, who is down and receiving lenghty treatment.
The stretcher has been called and this would be such a cruel way for his play-off final to end.
NO GOAL! Luton 0-0 Coventry
16:52 , Jamie Braidwood
5 mins: CLOSE! Luton win the first corner of the match and cause havoc from it. Lockyer gets his head on it and Osho scrambles the ball over the line!
But, wait! No goal! Osho was just offside and it’s ruled out!
Great spot from the assistant referee on the far side.
Luton 0-0 Coventry
16:50 , Jamie Braidwood
3 mins: A cautious start from both Coventry and Luton, with a couple of early fouls from either side to break up momentum. Luton are doing most of the pressing early on.
KICK-OFF! Luton 0-0 Coventry
16:46 , Jamie Braidwood
Underway at Wembley! Luton and Coventry are 90 minutes away from the Premier League – who can take that chance?
Luton vs Coventry LIVE: Championship play-off final
16:43 , Jamie Braidwood
After God Save the King we are ready to go at Wembley. Both teams are unchanged.
Luton vs Coventry LIVE: Championship play-off final
16:40 , Jamie Braidwood
Here we go! Luton and Coventry emerge out into a wall of noise at Wembley stadium, which is looking a picture here.
90 breathless minutes await as Luton and Coventry battle for a place in the Premier League.
Luton vs Coventry: Why the play-off final is about more than money
16:36 , Jamie Braidwood
For Coventry City and Luton Town, how do you even begin to quantify the enormity of Saturday’s Championship play-off final?
Financially, of course, the prize is seismic. The winner can expect additional revenues between £170-285m over the next three seasons, depending how long they stay in the top flight. When you consider that both clubs’ annual income is around £17-18m right now, those are transformative, lottery-ticket numbers.
Money is certainly part of the story here. These two clubs have been to the brink and faced serious existential threat. Luton were docked 30 points amid financial woes in 2008-09 and fans still sing about being let down by the FA. Coventry’s holding company went into liquidation in 2013.
But this game is also about the resilience of football clubs, especially those historic institutions that are part of the fabric of their place. It is about how they keep springing back to life however hard they’re trampled, and about what might one day blossom from a lot of graft and a little hope.
Luton vs Coventry big-match preview, by Lawrence Ostlere
Coventry and Luton are proof the play-off final means more than just money
Luton vs Coventry: How are Luton one game from the Premier League?
16:26 , Jamie Braidwood
Before every home game, Luton Town’s club shop is teeming. The little building perched outside Kenilworth Road is like a temporary prefab classroom and inside it’s cosy: once you’ve bought a shirt or a mug or a woolly hat then you best be on your way to make room for someone else.
It is a different world to the extravagance of the Premier League. Tottenham, for example, boast the largest club shop in Europe: half an acre of sheer Spursy-ness, selling everything from Spurs-encrusted party bowls to the Spurs Monopoly board game, complete with a 100-seat auditorium to consume even more Spurs from the comfort of a soft chair. These two clubs seem to exist on different planets, and yet they could well be rivals in the same league next season.
Luton have climbed here by consistently punching above their weight. The club’s entire wage budget, around £6m, would buy one Manchester City sub. They are always swimming against the tide and the small but mighty Kenilworth Road is a monument to that – intimate and intense, like a particularly atmospheric cow shed, with 10,000 seats that sound like 50,000 when the linesman fails to spot a foul throw.
By Lawrence Ostlere
How Luton climbed to within one game of the Premier League
Luton vs Coventry: City aiming to come full circle after journey to hell and back
16:16 , Jamie Braidwood
It’s 22 years and counting since Coventry City last graced the Premier League, over two decades of ups and downs, necessary ups as a result of downs, a whole chapter and more of club history written outside of the game’s elite.
Once, the Sky Blues were synonymous with top-flight football, iconic Nineties names – if not always quite among the elite – throughout the team. They lined up for the first Premier League campaign, in 1992/93, and stayed a part of that fledgling top flight for the first nine years, finishing in the bottom half each term but always there, always a tough opponent, always carrying players with a backstory, a big future, or both.
But an entire generation of football fans have never seen Coventry among the top clubs. A sea change has happened at England’s highest level since they were on the scene; they departed in 2001, two years before Roman Abramovich bought Chelsea and could now return one year after he sold it.
While billions were moved around in the transfer market and in broadcast deals in Coventry’s absence, they embarked on an altogether more painful journey; should they complete the comeback on 27 May and win the EFL Championship play-off final they will become the first team to go from the Premier League all the way down to the fourth tier… and come all the way back up again.
By Karl Matchett
Coventry aim to come full circle after journey to hell and back
Luton vs Coventry: How much do Championship play-off final winners earn?
16:07 , Jamie Braidwood
The Championship play-off final offers huge rewards to the winner as either Luton Town or Coventry City will complete their fairytale rise from the ashes by reaching the Premier League.
Often dubbed ‘the richest game in football’, the play-off final is worth huge swathes of money to the winner as they get to join the elite, 20-team cash cow that is the Premier League.
How much will the winners get for being promoted to the Premier League?
Ahead of the 2020 Championship play-off final, Deloitte reported that the victorious club could earn anywhere between £135m and £265m, depending on whether or not they could avoid immediate relegation from the Premier League.
What TV money will the winning club receive in the Premier League?
Official figures for the 2020-21 season showed that broadcast revenue incredibly totalled more than £2.5bn and was distributed among the 20 clubs in the Premier League.
Of that, each club was guaranteed at least £31.4m in equal share payments, £47.5m in international TV money and £5.9m in central commercial payments: a baseline of roughly £84.8m per team, regardless of position. In fact, Norwich City, who finished bottom of the league in that campaign, were handed just over £101.5m.
By comparison, Championships clubs only receive around £8m in TV rights income for a season spent in the second tier.
Luton vs Coventry LIVE: Confirmed line-ups
16:02 , Jamie Braidwood
Coventry and Luton have both named unchanged teams. Mark Robins plumped for the City team that beat Middlesbrough, while Luton boss Rob Edwards stuck with the same side that beat Sunderland to reach Wembley 10 days ago.
Luton vs Coventry: Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu’s ‘crazy journey’ from non-league
15:55 , Jamie Braidwood
Luton midfielder Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu is aiming to reach the Premier League having been at the club since they were in the National League.
Mpanzu joined from West Ham in 2014 when Luton were languishing in the fifth tier of English football and a win in the Championship play-off final would be his fourth promotion in 10 seasons.
Over 300 appearances and nine years later, the 29-year-old is potentially 90 minutes away from reaching the top-flight and facing off with his former side next season.
Mpanzu said: “Here we are moments away from the Premier League, it’s been a good experience and I don’t want it to end on Saturday.
“I knew my ability would get me back there (Premier League), obviously you have got to have a great team around you and support, but when you have belief and know you can rise back to the top, Luton have done that in a short space of time.
“Going from non-league to the Premier League with one club would be crazy.”
Luton vs Coventry LIVE: Confirmed line-ups
15:54 , Jamie Braidwood
Luton: Horvath, Drameh, Lockyer, Morris, Adebayo, Nakamba, Mpanzu, Clark, Bell, Osho, Doughty
Coventry: Wilson, Doyle, McFadzean, Kelly, Norton-Cuffy, Allen, Sheaf, McNally, Gyokeres, Bidwell, Hamer.
Luton vs Coventry: Latest build-up
15:42 , Jamie Braidwood
Coventry boss Mark Robins: “The game is one for the romantics because of the journeys both clubs have been on. Luton dropped out of the league when I started my managerial career and found it very difficult to come back from that position.
“It took them five years to get back in and they have had a phenomenal run ever since.
“We are under no illusions Luton are going to be made favourites because they finished 10 points ahead of us in the division.
“Luton are a really good team with some good technical players and have the power to go with that. That’s why they finished third.
“They are a year ahead of us in their development (Luton were play-off semi-finalists last season) and are expected to go up. No one expected us to be in this game.
“But the change of ownership has accelerated our five-year plan by five years. We’ve got to try and and finish this off, but to be in a position to do that is in itself incredible.”
Luton vs Coventry: Latest build-up
15:31 , Jamie Braidwood
Mark Robins has praised Coventry for being “one game away from achieving a dream” at the end of a season in which he accepts he might have been sacked.
Yet Coventry – who played seven of their opening nine league games away from the CBS Arena this season after the Commonwealth Games’ Rugby Sevens wrecked the pitch – were bottom of the Championship on October 19 and still in the relegation zone as November began.
“We are one game away from achieving a dream and changing the club’s future very quickly,” said manager Robins. “This season has been exceptional in terms of the start we were handed and all the well documented issues that we had.
“The fact I remained in post when others didn’t. Bottom of the league in October, it’s generally unacceptable. That’s been something you look back on and say, ‘OK, that could have happened but it didn’t’.
“We managed to navigate our way through a really difficult period and come out the other side. The supporters understood the situation and really backed it, and without them it wouldn’t have happened.
“That’s why it makes it so special because, for me, the biggest achievement since I came through the door is the reconnection between players and supporters and long may that continue.”
Luton vs Coventry: Latest build-up
15:17 , Jamie Braidwood
Luton boss Rob Edwards: “We will have 36,000 or so people behind us so I feel we will be supported even more, I know Coventry will have the same but it will make for a great atmosphere.
“So far this season the lads have risen to these big games and occasions, it’s brought the best out of them and last week (win over Sunderland) is the best example of that. Watford and Sheffield United away too, but hopefully one more and we can perform in the biggest game of them all.
“Hopefully (there will be) the feelgood factor and they (the fans) will have a day out, they’ll hopefully have their best singing voices on and get into the mood.
“A lot of it will be down to our performance I suppose and how it goes on the day during the game with goals and that sort of stuff, what will swing the atmosphere one way or another I am sure.
“Everyone around this club and who is connected to this club, it means so much, to come from where it was to bring it back, there’s a lot of love there, it’s more than just football, it’s people’s lives.”
Luton vs Coventry: Latest build-up
15:05 , Jamie Braidwood
Luton boss Rob Edwards talked up “remarkable” Mark Robins’ success as Coventry manager days before their two sides meet in the Championship play-off final at Wembley.
Luton and Coventry are one game away from potentially claiming Premier League status despite both clubs playing in Sky Bet League Two together in 2017. Promotion would spell Luton’s fourth in 10 seasons.
Edwards heaped praise on Robins for Coventry’s resurgence under his management, which has seen them move to within a game of the Premier League.
“What Mark Robins has done with his staff, players and everyone that has helped him as well is remarkable,” Edwards said. “I couldn’t have done that.
“It sounded like it was so tough, especially in those early days of League Two with different stadiums and all sorts of things they had to go through, so he does deserve a lot of credit and he got a lot of recognition this season. So if they do it would be an amazing story for them.
“Both teams were playing each other in League Two not long ago, so it is not the play-off final people would have picked at the beginning of the season – but now it is here and it’s these two teams.
“Both clubs have been through a lot and it’s great for me to be a part of Luton now, to spend time in this position at the right end of the table.”
Luton vs Coventry: Why the play-off final is about more than money
14:54 , Jamie Braidwood
For Coventry City and Luton Town, how do you even begin to quantify the enormity of Saturday’s Championship play-off final?
Financially, of course, the prize is seismic. The winner can expect additional revenues between £170-285m over the next three seasons, depending how long they stay in the top flight. When you consider that both clubs’ annual income is around £17-18m right now, those are transformative, lottery-ticket numbers.
Money is certainly part of the story here. These two clubs have been to the brink and faced serious existential threat. Luton were docked 30 points amid financial woes in 2008-09 and fans still sing about being let down by the FA. Coventry’s holding company went into liquidation in 2013.
But this game is also about the resilience of football clubs, especially those historic institutions that are part of the fabric of their place. It is about how they keep springing back to life however hard they’re trampled, and about what might one day blossom from a lot of graft and a little hope.
Luton vs Coventry big-match preview, by Lawrence Ostlere
Coventry and Luton are proof the play-off final means more than just money
Luton vs Coventry: Odds and prediction
14:48 , Jamie Braidwood
Coventry win 2/1
Luton win 7/5
Prediction
A tight play-off final could be decided in extra time. Coventry 1-2 Luton a.e.t.
Luton vs Coventry: Early team news
14:47 , Jamie Braidwood
Gustavo Hamer has trained with the Coventry squad this week and appears likely to be fit after his decisive semi-final role. Tyler Walker remains absent with an undisclosed injury, but Casey Palmer has made an ahead-of-schedule return to training after initially being ruled out for the remainder of the season. His recovery from a hamstring issue could still force him out of the game.
Luton would appear to be in good health and could well name an unchanged side from the semi-final second leg.
Predicted line-ups
Coventry City XI: Wilson; McNally, McFadzean, Doyle; Norton-Cuffy, Allen, Kelly, Hamer, Bidwell; Sheaf; Gyokeres.
Luton Town XI: Horvarth; Osho, Lockyer, Bell; Drameh, Clark, Nakamba, Mpanzu, Doughty; Morris, Adebayo.
Luton vs Coventry: When is the Championship play-off final?
14:46 , Jamie Braidwood
Coventry vs Luton is due to kick off at 4.45pm BST on Saturday 27 May at Wembley Stadium in London.
How can I watch it?
Viewers in the United Kingdom can watch the match live on Sky Sports Football and Sky Sports Main Event, with coverage from 4pm BST. Subscribers can stream the action via the Sky Go app.
Good afternoon
14:45 , Jamie Braidwood
Good afternoon and welcome to The Independent’s coverage of the Championship play-off final as Luton Town play Coventry City for a place in the Premier League.
Both clubs were in League Two as recently as 2018 and are looking to complete remarkable journeys with promotion to the top-flight, in what is often known as football’s “richest game”.
Luton were a non-league club just nine years ago but their incredible rise through the divisions means they are just 90 minutes away from hosting the likes of Man City, Arsenal and Manchester United at Kenilworth Road next season.
But Coventry’s story is just as compelling – under Mark Robins they have battled back from the brink and are now on the verge of returning to the Premier League for the first time since 2001.
Only one team can make it on what is set to be a thrilling afternoon at Wembley.
Follow live build-up as Luton face Coventry in the Championship play-off final.
