Hull City promoted to the Premier League after beating Middlesbrough in Championship playoff final - ESPN

Hull City have been promoted to the Premier League after a 1-0 win in the Championship playoff final against Middlesbrough on Saturday at Wembley Stadium.

Oli McBurnie scored the only goal in the fifth minute of stoppage time to send his side into the top flight, alongside Coventry City and Ipswich Town.

The playoff final was played amid the Spygate furor that has rocked English football since the playoff semifinals. Southampton, who beat Middlesbrough in the semifinals, were expelled from the final by the EFL because they illegally spied on their opponents.

Hull, who only discovered their eventual final opponents days ago, eventually overcame Boro.

Scorching heat marred the Wembley game on Saturday, but McBurnie had the final say when a cross was spilled into his path by Boro goalkeeper Sol Brynn.

Hull became the first team since Blackpool in 2010 to finish sixth in the Championship before winning the playoffs. They battled through both legs of the semifinals and the final without conceding a goal.

— Spygate explainer: Why Southampton were booted from Championship playoff

Match winner McBurnie said afterward: «This game sums us up; we knew we wouldn't have all of the ball. We knew we were going to be right up against it. We knew that we'd have one chance. It was written that I'd get it.»

About his late, crucial goal, he said: «Just try and get good contact on it. It popped up to me. It's a blur.»

Hull City boss Sergej Jakirovic said to Sky Sports: «It is an amazing feeling, I can't believe it. We did it because we suffered a lot with the game.

»Like I said before the game, they are really happy with the ball; OK, they didn't get great chances, and then after 15 minutes we changed our shape. [Midfielder Matt] Crooks