Dan George
BBC Sport at St Mary's
Southampton will face Leeds United in the Championship play-off final after a stylish second-half performance saw them beat West Bromwich Albion.
After a goalless first leg, Saints midfielder Will Smallbone opened the scoring in the second half of the second leg, striking from an angle into the top right corner of Baggies keeper Alex Palmer's goal from just inside the box.
Adam Armstrong doubled Saints' lead to trigger a party atmosphere inside the ground with just over 10 minutes remaining.
The hosts' Wembley place was guaranteed when he doubled his tally from the penalty spot after Ryan Manning was fouled, with Cedric Kipre's injury-time header for the visitors a mere consolation.
Southampton supporters welcomed their team in their thousands, gathering outside the ground with red and white flares, lining the streets more than two hours before kick-off.
Pyrotechnics and flamethrowers added to a thrilling pre-match atmosphere, but it took until Smallbone's goal for the game to heat up.
Saints first came the closest to opening the scoring in the first half, Armstrong getting in behind the West Brom defence before cutting the ball back to David Brooks who fired wide from close range.
Russell Martin’s home side started the second half impressively and the atmosphere erupted when they took the lead through the boot of Smallbone, who netted his seventh goal of the season.
Saints supporters felt they should have had a penalty after Brooks was scissor tackled by Kipre in the box but, to their dismay, nothing was given.
Armstrong settled the nerves later on, drilling a low shot into the back of the net before celebrating in the far corner of the Northam stand.
The hosts were eventually given a penalty in the closing stages when Manning steamed into the West Brom box before being taken down, with Armstrong making no mistake from the spot.
Kipre's header through the outstretched gloves of Alex McCarthy was too little too late for West Brom.
Martin reunites with Farke in Wembley showpiece
Martin named a matchday squad without Che Adams for the second game in a row, with Armstrong moving centrally away from his normal wide position, and Bournemouth loanee Brooks taking up a position on the right-hand side.
It was a move that paid off, with two more goals for Saints' top scorer.
That Southampton eventually coasted their way to victory, steered in part by the talismanic Armstrong, who now has 23 goals this season, is testament to the fine job Martin has done this term.
Having arrived off the back of Saints losing their Premier League status after 11 years in the top flight, he has kept them in with a shout of an immediate return despite having limped towards the finish line.
Martin will be familiar with their rivals at Wembley, with Southampton having not only beaten Leeds on 4 May at Elland Road as well as 3-1 at home, but because he also played under Daniel Farke.
Saints can clinch an immediate Premier League return when they travel to the national stadium next Sunday.
Progress for Albion despite play-off defeat
Image source, Rex Features
West Bromwich Albion finished in fifth position in the Championship this season, 12 points behind Saints but just the one place below in the table.
It was a position they occupied for much of the tail end of the campaign despite their end-of-season form mirroring that of Saints.
Albion appointed Carlos Corberan as manager in October of 2022, with his side finishing ninth, outside the play-offs, in his first season.
Despite not making it to Wembley this time, Corberan's side still amassed nine points more than last term.
That they did so with worries off the field is even more impressive.
However, they rarely threatened Saints across two legs, with Kipre's late header coming far too late.
Corberan will be disappointed at the manner of their second-half performance, but will be optimistic that his side can progress once more and mount a challenge to return to the Premier League.
Southampton boss Russell Martin speaking to BBC Radio Solent:
“I loved it from the very start, it was emotional to get that kind of welcome from the fans.
“That was the best atmosphere I’ve witnessed here and played a big role in the result.
“I’m really pleased for the team, they looked alive today and there were some amazing performances - we deserved to win and got better as the game went on.”
West Bromwich Albion manager Carlos Corberan speaking to BBC Radio WM:
"We were not the strongest [team].
"In general, I think they controlled the game how we expected that they will control it.
"But, at the same time, we couldn't attack in the way that we should have to achieve a better result.
"We all know the positive things, but it is more about the pain that we have after the defeat."
Referee: Tim Robinson
Attendance: 30,712
