Southampton clinch last-gasp winner over Middlesbrough to reach Championship play-off final
Southampton 2-1 Middlesbrough (AET): Shea Charles sends Saints to Wembley
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Southampton have booked their spot in the Championship play-off final after a thrilling 2-1 extra-time triumph over Middlesbrough at St Mary's.
With penalties looking inevitable and just four minutes of extra time remaining, Shea Charles delivered the decisive moment.
The midfielder's cross from the right wing somehow evaded everyone in the box and crept past goalkeeper Sol Brynn at the far post.
It sparked absolute bedlam on the south coast as Saints secured their second play-off final appearance in three seasons.

Shea Charles scored the winner with a mishit cross that saw Southampton beat Middlesbrough
|GETTY
Tonda Eckert's side will now head to Wembley on Saturday 23 May to face Hull City, with a place in the Premier League up for grabs.
The visitors had taken an early lead through Riley McGree, who fired home from a central position in the fifth minute with a clinical side-footed finish into the bottom corner.
Callum Brittain's superb delivery found McGree, and the Australian made no mistake with a lovely right-footed strike.
Saints pushed for an equaliser and came agonisingly close when Ryan Manning set up Ross Stewart perfectly, but the striker couldn't convert from close range.
However, Stewart made amends right on the stroke of half-time. After Sol Brynn could only parry an effort to the back post, the frontman rose highest to power home a towering header.
The semi-final was played against a backdrop of controversy, with the so-called 'Spygate' scandal hanging over both clubs.

Ross Stewart had scored Southampton's equaliser on the stroke of half-time
|GETTY
Southampton have been charged by the EFL with a breach of regulations after an analyst was allegedly caught hiding in a bush while filming a Middlesbrough training session ahead of the first leg.
The bad blood spilled onto the pitch, with managers Eckert and Kim Hellberg having to be separated on the touchline as tensions boiled over.
Southampton supporters taunted their rivals with chants of "We spy when we want," while Boro fans responded by calling the home side cheats.
SOUTHAMPTON TAKE THE LEAD DEEP INTO EXTRA-TIME!
— Sky Sports Football (@SkyFootball) May 12, 2026
Shea Charles' cross evades everybody and the Saints have one foot in the play-off final! 🤯 pic.twitter.com/H9w1DXeSjG
Saints will now turn their attention to the Wembley showpiece, where they'll meet Hull City with promotion to the top flight on the line alongside Coventry and Ipswich.
Left-back Ryan Manning admitted he thought the tie was heading for a shootout before Charles' late intervention.
"I feel like we got back in the game, we started get on top, we didn't have that killer ball until Shea's went in. It was the first ball of any real quality," he told Sky Sports.
"I thought it was going to be a penalty shootout. The last 10 minutes, I thought here we go again."










