After 24 years, the joy of promotion to the English Premier League (EPL) is palpable.
Luton Town have been promoted to the EPL. With the English Football League (EFL) Championship, England’s second tier, all wrapped up, league champions Burnley have already clinched promotion, while second-place Sheffield United will join the EPL next season. And in the final game of the day, Luton Town beat Coventry City to clinch the final ticket to the top flight.
Luton Town battled Coventry to a 1-1 draw in the 2022-23 EFL Championship playoff final at Wembley Stadium in London, England, at 0:45 a.m. ET on Sunday, earning promotion to the EPL for the first time in 24 years on penalties.
Luton Town started the game in a state of flux, losing Tom Lockyer to injury early on. However, the hosts took the lead in the 23rd minute through Jordan Clarke.
But Coventry were just as desperate for promotion as Luton Town. Gustavo Hamer equalized in the 21st minute of the second half to make it 1-1. The game went into extra time, but no one could make a difference and the match went to penalties.
It was Luton Town who emerged victorious after the penalty shootout. With five kickers from both teams converting, Luton Town’s sixth kicker, Daniel Potts, converted and Coventry’s sixth kicker, Pankirti Davo, missed, giving Luton Town a 6-5 penalty shootout victory 메이저사이트.
It was their first promotion to the EPL in 24 years. Luton Town was relegated to the second tier in the 1991-92 season, just before the English top flight was reorganized into the EPL. In 2009, they dropped to the fifth tier, but they’ve worked their way up and finally achieved their dream of promotion to the EPL this season.
Luton Town have savored the joys of EPL promotion. Shortly after promotion was confirmed, the entrance to Luton Town’s home ground at Kenilworth Road read “We are Luton Town. We are a Premier League team.” The club’s official social media accounts are also littered with posts and congratulatory messages commemorating the promotion.