Sheffield Wednesday pulls off biggest comeback in history of English league playoffs

Updated May. 18, 2023 6:17 p.m. ET
Associated Press

SHEFFIELD, England (AP) — Sheffield Wednesday pulled off the biggest comeback in the history of the English league playoffs to keep alive its hopes of a return to the second-tier Championship.

Wednesday recovered from a 4-0 loss to Peterborough in the first leg of the third-tier League One playoff semifinal by winning the return match 5-1 after extra time, and then the penalty shootout 5-3 at Hillsborough on Thursday.

No team had ever come back from a four-goal deficit from the first leg since the playoffs were introduced in 1987. The previous biggest comeback in the playoffs was from two goals behind.

Wednesday scored in the eighth minute of second-half stoppage time to take the game to extra time at 4-4 on aggregate.

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Wednesday will play either Bolton or Barnsley in the final at Wembley Stadium on May 29.

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