2022 EFL League One play-off final

This was Sunderland's fourth play-off final, having lost all three of their previous finals, but they went into the match unbeaten in their previous fifteen matches.[9][10] In the 1998 Football League First Division play-off final, they faced Charlton Athletic at the old Wembley Stadium in London, in a match described by Rob Stevens of the BBC as "arguably the best play-off final in English Football League history".[11] That final ended 3–3 in regular time, 4–4 after extra time, and Sunderland lost the resulting penalty shoot-out 7–6.[11] Sunderland's most recent play-off final ended in a 2–1 defeat to Charlton Athletic in 2019. Sunderland had also played in the 1990 Football League Second Division play-off final against Swindon Town which they lost 1–0. They were promoted however, as Swindon were later found guilty of financial misconduct.[12] Sunderland had last played in the Championship in the 2017–18 season, when they were relegated to League One after finishing bottom of the league.[9][13] Their most recent visit to Wembley Stadium came in the previous season, when they won the EFL Trophy, marking their first victory at the national stadium since the 1973 FA Cup Final.[8] Wycombe Wanderers also made their fourth play-off final appearance. They won the 1994 Football League Third Division play-off final 4–2 against Preston North End before losing to Southend United in the 2015 Football League Two play-off final in a penalty shoot-out. Their most recent play-off final came in 2020, when they defeated Oxford United 2–1 in the EFL League One play-off final to secure promotion to the EFL Championship. They were relegated the following season back to League One.[14]

In the matches between the sides during the regular season, Sunderland won 3–1 at the Stadium of Light in August 2021 and the fixture at Adams Park the following January ended in a 3–3 draw.[15] Ross Stewart was Sunderland's top scorer with 24 goals during the regular season, while Vokes had scored the most goals for Wycombe Wanderers with 17.[16] The final was refereed by Simon Hooper (representing the Wiltshire Football Association),[10] with Adam Crysell and Craig Taylor as his assistants, and Tim Robinson the fourth official. In May 2022, the EFL had announced that for the first time, the video assistant referee system would be used at all play-off finals, and Lee Mason was appointed in this role.[17][18] Sunderland received an initial allocation of 37,480 tickets for the final which was subsequently increased to 43,960 due to high demand. Wycombe Wanderers were initially given 19,205 tickets and applied for an extra allocation.[19] By 18 May 2022, the club announced that they had sold more than 22,000 tickets for the final.[20]

Sunderland's head coach Alex Neil made one change for his side's starting line-up from the second leg of their play-off semi-final, with Elliot Embleton being selected ahead of Jack Clarke. Gareth Ainsworth, the Wycombe Wanderers head coach, announced a side unchanged from the previous match.[10]

Wycombe Wanderers kicked off the match at around 3 p.m. on 21 May 2022 in front of 72,332 supporters at Wembley Stadium. Four minutes in, Pritchard took a free kick which hit the side netting of the Wycombe Wanderers' goal. In the 12th minute, Embleton took possession of the ball around half-way and dribbled forward uncontested to take a shot from outside the Wycombe Wanderers' penalty area which beat David Stockdale to give Sunderland a 1–0 lead.[10] There were chances to score for both sides, including a shot in the 22nd minute from Pritchard which was caught by Stockdale. Five minutes later, Ross Stewart's shot was pushed away by Anthony Patterson. In the 36th minute, Sunderland had appeals for a penalty turned down by the referee after contact from Jacobson on Roberts; instead Roberts was called for offside. The last chance of the half fell to Wycombe Wanderers' Anthony Stewart but he headed Jacobsen's free kick wide of the goal and the half ended 1–0 to Sunderland.[21]

Neither side made any changes to their playing personnel during the interval and Sunderland kicked the second half off. A minute in, Sunderland's Dennis Cirkin was shown a yellow card for a foul but the resulting free kick was cleared. Wycombe Wanderers dominated the early stages of the half before Ross Stewart's 52nd minute header from a Pritchard cross passed just wide of the goalpost. In the 56th minute, Wycombe Wanderers made their first substitution of the match with Daryl Horgan being replaced by Lewis Wing.[21] Three minutes later, a mistake from Sunderland's Bailey Wright allowed Vokes to shoot but his attempt was saved by Patterson. Sunderland made their first substitution in the 61st minute when Embleton was replaced by Jack Clarke. Four minutes after that, Wycombe Wanderers' Jordan Obita was substituted for Brandon Hanlan. Midway through the second half, Sunderland's Robert was tackled in the penalty area by Jacobsen and Anthony Stewart but no penalty was awarded. With fourteen minutes of the match remaining, Wycombe Wanderers made their final substitution with Adebayo Akinfenwa coming on in place of Dominic Gape. In the 78th minute, Hanlon's weak shot was saved before Sunderland doubled their lead through Ross Stewart. Pritchard passed him the ball outside the Wycombe penalty area, before Ross Stewart moved to his right and scoring with a low shot. Two minutes later, Pritchard was replaced for Sunderland by Callum Doyle. Ross Stewart then took the ball past Tafazolli but his shot was wide of the Wycombe Wanderers' goal. Roberts then shot wide for Sunderland before Patterson saved a strike from Anthony Stewart. With two minutes of the regular time remaining, Ross Stewart was taken off by Sunderland and replaced by Nathan Broadhead. Five minutes of injury time was indicated by the fourth official, but there was no change to the score and Sunderland won the match 2–0.[22]