“Sunderland were lucky to win because…..”- Chris Wilder delivers verdict on what went wrong in Sunderland defeat and raises VAR complaint
Sheffield United Fall 2-1 to Sunderland in Play-Off Final Despite Early Lead
Sheffield United took the lead at Wembley but were ultimately defeated 2-1 by Sunderland in the Championship play-off final, missing out on promotion to the Premier League.
Following the match, manager Chris Wilder began his press conference by congratulating Sunderland on their victory and top-flight return.
However, he questioned the use of VAR in the final after it disallowed what could have been a crucial second goal for his team.
The Blades went ahead in the first half thanks to a well-taken strike by Tyrese Campbell. They believed they had doubled their lead when Harrison Burrows volleyed home from a corner, but the goal was ruled out after VAR determined Vinícius Souza had obstructed Sunderland goalkeeper Anthony Patterson by standing on the goal line.
“Firstly, congratulations to Regis [Le Bris], his players, staff, and the Sunderland fans,” Wilder said. “We’ve experienced the Premier League before and understand what a special opportunity they now have.
This loss is going to sting for a while. The preparation was excellent—some of the best I’ve seen—but we were ultimately punished for not taking our chances.”
Wilder admitted there were moments where his side could have performed better, particularly when defending Sunderland’s goals.
“We started really well and took our chance with Tyrese,” he noted. “There’s going to be plenty of debate about the VAR call. I’ve been consistent on this—after 46 league games and two play-offs without VAR, it suddenly gets introduced for the final, and the decision came down to the referee’s interpretation.”
“I honestly don’t think the goalkeeper saves it anyway—it’s already past him. But that moment gave Sunderland a boost and swung some momentum, even if they didn’t truly threaten us from open play.”
Wilder Reflects on Missed Opportunities in Second Half
Looking back on the second half, Wilder felt his team had regained control but lacked sharpness in key moments.
“We got back into rhythm about 10 minutes after the break and had a few chances. But when Sunderland pushed forward, we didn’t capitalize in transition,” he explained.
“We were too open on the counter, missed some clear chances to put the game to bed, and ultimately paid the price.”
He was particularly disappointed with the way his side conceded the winner.
“The second goal is avoidable. We failed to retain possession up the pitch, and the midfield was left exposed. Then a local lad—about to leave for Brighton—goes on a run, gets into a great position, and scores.
It’s storybook stuff for him and Sunderland. For us, it’s heartbreak, and this one’s going to take time to move past.”
