The 2022-23 season of the EFL Championship ended with a thrilling finale at Wembley Stadium, where Luton Town secured their promotion to the Premier League after a dramatic penalty shootout against Coventry City.
Luton Town had finished third in the regular season, behind Sheffield United on goal difference and four points adrift of champions Burnley, who were led by veteran defender Vincent Kompany.
The Hatters faced Sunderland in the playoff semi-finals, where they won 3-2 on aggregate thanks to goals from Elijah Adebayo, Gabriel Osho and Tom Lockyer.
Coventry City, meanwhile, had finished fifth in the table, 10 points behind Luton. The Sky Blues edged Middlesbrough 1-0 in the semi-finals with courtesy of a second-half strike from Gustavo Hamer.
The playoff final was a tense and scrappy affair, with both teams struggling to create clear chances. Luton took the lead in the first half through Jordan Clark.
However, the Hatters suffered a huge blow when their captain collapsed on the pitch and had to be rushed to hospital. Coventry equalized in the second half through Hamer, who pounced on a loose ball in the box.
The game went into extra time and then penalties, with neither side able to find a winner. After five successful kicks each, it came down to sudden death. Fankaty Dabo stepped up for Coventry, but his shot was saved, sparking wild celebrations among the Luton players and fans.
Luton Town had completed their fairy-tale rise from non-league to Premier League, having been relegated to the fifth tier in 2009 and spending five seasons there before climbing back up the ladder.
The Hatters joined Burnley and Sheffield United, who had already clinched the automatic promotion spots earlier in the season
The three promoted teams will join 17 survivors in the 2023-24 Premier League season, which will kick off on August 12. Burnley, Sheffield United and Luton Town will be hoping to emulate the likes of Leeds United and Brentford, who impressed in their first season back in the top flight in 2021-22.
