This year’s League One Playoff Final tie has been confirmed as two clubs book their place at Wembley following tonight’s semi-finals.
It was last Friday that the League One season returned for the first time since March, when Portsmouth hosted Oxford and Wycombe visited Fleetwood in the first legs of the playoffs.
However it was playoffs with an obvious difference, with supporters unable to fill the stands to cheer their team on to glory.
The coronavirus pandemic also meant players could travel to matches on the day, some already in their kits, teams can make five substitutions for the first time in an EFL game, and there are a multitude of way to control hygiene and sanitisation as well as toned down celebrations and elbow bumps instead of handshakes.
Portsmouth could only draw to Oxford when the two clubs came head to head last week, Ronan Curtis got the opener halfway through, making up for hitting the post earlier on.
The U’s then managed to find a leveller through Marcus Browne shortly before the break with a fine individual effort, so it was all to play for in the second leg.
That played out in roughly the same way, two goals in the first half, Marcus Harness got the opener on the 38th minute, before an own goal from Ellis Harrison gave Oxford a lifeline.
The game ended up having to go to extra time and penalties to decide who would come out victorious. That ended with a 5-4 Oxford win after Simon Eastwood kept out Cameron McGeehan’s strike.
So who will meet them at Wembley Stadium a week Monday with kick off at 7:30pm?
We knew it would be between either Fleetwood Town or Wycombe Wanderers, and the first leg between to two sides got off to an absolute flyer.
The first six minutes saw three goals, Nnamdi Ofoborh’s opened the scoring with a brilliant finish on the second minute, but Ched Evans levelled from the penalty spot after four minutes, before Alex Cairns took Joe Jacobson’s corner over the line to restore the Chairboys’ lead with six minutes on the clock.
David Wheeler got his side’s third prior the half time whistle and then Alex Samuel made it extended his side’s comfortable lead to 4-1.
The Cod Army ended the game with nine men after Lewie Coyle and a furious Paddy Madden were sent off.
A flare was also chucked over the fence and onto the pitch as the wind and rain set in late on.
Fleetwood boss Joey Barton suggested his side were out of the playoffs just yet, and they did show more fight in the second leg.
A LIFELINE FOR FLEETWOOD!
Danny Andrew’s half-volley has put the visitors in front on the night! They couldn’t complete a miraculous comeback, could they? ?
Watch it live on Sky Sports Football now! pic.twitter.com/QXsMpoe0yD
— Sky Sports Football (@SkyFootball) July 6, 2020
They went 1-0 up after 22 minutes (4-2 agg), Danny Andrew firing the Cod Army in front, though Fred Onyedinma levelled for Wycombe straight after break after Harry Souttar failed to clear properly.
OH, HARRY SOUTTAR! ?
The Fleetwood defender initially does well to halt Fred Onyedinma’s progress but then hands the ball straight back to him to score!
Watch it live on Sky Sports Football now! ? pic.twitter.com/apFAkWe1AQ
— Sky Sports Football (@SkyFootball) July 6, 2020
Ched Evans restored Fleetwood’s lead to 2-1 however his side conceded again when Wycombe got another through Fred, causing the Cod Army to lose 6-3 on aggregate despite showing more fight in the game with stats all on their side.
So, we now know that Oxford United will take on local rivals Wycombe Wanderers at Wembley next Monday.
The game will be televised on Sky Sports with kick off at 7:30pm.
The losers of the game will be joined with newly promoted sides Northampton Town (playoff winners, Plymouth Argyle, Swindon Town and Crewe Alexandra.
