Championship Play-Off Final
Blackpool 3-2 Cardiff City
Blackpool will play top flight football next season for the first time in 39 years after defeating Cardiff City in the Championship play-off final at Wembley on Saturday afternoon.
In soaring temperatures at Wembley, the Seasiders came from behind twice in an astonishing game, with all the game’s five goals coming in a blistering opening 45 minutes.
Michael Chopra put Cardiff ahead on nine minutes after a tidy finish from Peter Whittingham’s through ball. Blackpool didn’t have to wait long before parity was restored; Charlie Adam curling home a delightful free-kick from the edge of the area after thirteen minutes after Stephen McPhail was punished for handball.
Blackpool controlled possession and had the better chances after their equaliser, but found themselves behind again after 38 minutes. Whittingham was the provider again for Cardiff, finding Joe Ledley in the penalty area and the midfielder made no mistake with his left foot from ten yards out.
One again, Blackpool responded immediately, this time through Gary Taylor-Fletcher who headed home at the far post after Cardiff cleared two previous efforts off the line.
The Seasiders then took the lead on the stroke of half time when Brett Ormerod took advantage of two Cardiff defenders slipping in the penalty area and slipped the ball under the advancing Marshall in the Cardiff City goal.
Understandably, the second half failed to live up to the dizzying heights of the first and chances were few and far between. Michael Chopra had the best chance for Cardiff City, hitting the bar with a rasping effort early in the second half, but after that Blackpool dealt with Cardiff’s attacks relatively comfortably.
Charlie Adam was outstanding for the victors, as was Ireland’s Seamus Coleman, who was playing his last game for Ian Holloway’s side before returning to Everton next season.
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