Sheffield Wednesday have pulled off the biggest comeback in the history of the English league football play-offs to keep alive their hopes of a return to the second-tier Championship.
On a dramatic night for English football, the miracle comeback came as Premier League side West Ham made a European final for the first time in 47 years, beating AZ Alkmaar in the Europa Conference League semifinal.
Wednesday were down and all-but-out after losing 4-0 away to Peterborough in the first leg of their play-off semifinal — the ultimate goal of a place in the second-tier Championship seemed far away.
Fans revolted, with manager Darren Moore receiving racist abuse online, and some ripping up their season tickets in protest.
No one had ever come back from a four-goal deficit since the promotion play-offs had been brought in, back in 1987.
The previous biggest comeback in the play-offs was from two goals behind.
That all changed in two crazy hours at Sheffield Wednesday's ground, Hillsborough, as the Owls beat their rivals, 5-1, to make it 5-5 on aggregate, going on to win 5-3 on penalties.
Wednesday needed a big start to have any hope of recovery — and they got it, with an eighth minute penalty from Michael Smith, followed by a 25th minute close range finish from Lee Gregory.
They still trailed 4-2 overall, with 19 minutes left, when Reece James was put through on goal and slotted in Wednesday's third.
The desperate hunt for an equaliser went on into the final stages, with six official minutes added on.
Eight minutes in, a long ball went in the box and, after a mad scramble, it was Liam Palmer who bundled the ball in the net with the last kick of the game to send the crowd crazy.
Palmer ran to the corner flag and brandished the badge on his shirt as he roared at the crowd, before his teammates piled on him in celebration.
The 4-4 scoreline meant the game went to extra time. Peterborough silenced the crowd when Gregory deflected the ball into his own net after a header from Nathan Thompson.
However, Callum Ferguson scored an equaliser in the 111th minute, and it finished 5-5.
The Owls won it on penalties, leaving the Peterborough side stunned and Wednesday fans ecstatic.
After the match, Moore spoke to his players in the rooms, trying to get them to look beyond the amazing result.
"It's absolutely incredible, and you really deserve it. I'm absolutely delighted with what we've had to come through this season — but listen boys, we've got one more. We've got one more (game)," Moore said.
"So enjoy tonight, I'm so proud, but we've got one more."
Wednesday will now play either Bolton or Barnsley in the final at Wembley Stadium on May 29.
Hammers beat AZ Alkmaar, fans and family attacked after game
Meanwhile, West Ham's win over AZ Alkmaar in the Europa Conference League semifinals was marred by crowd trouble after some Dutch supporters tried to storm into the area reserved for friends and family of the visiting players behind the dugout after the final whistle.
West Ham players — including Michail Antonio, Said Benrahma, Aaron Cresswell and Flynn Downes — climbed over the advertising boards in a bid to stop the trouble.
Their manager, David Moyes — whose 87-year-old father, David Sr., was at the match — said he had been worried about his family's safety, although there were no reports of injuries.
“I can’t explain what happened and why it happened," Moyes said.
“I can only say the players were involved because it was the family section and most of their family and friends were in there. That was probably the reason for the reaction."
Substitute Pablo Fornals had scored deep into stoppage time for West Ham, to beat AZ Alkmaar 1-0 in the second leg of the Europa Conference League semifinals and send the Premier League club to a European final for the first time in 47 years.
Fornals seized the ball in the middle of the field, and finished his run with a low shot from the edge of the area for the Hammers to advance 3-1 on aggregate.
West Ham will face Fiorentina in the final that takes place in Prague on June 7.
The Hammers have been waiting for a European trophy since the 1965 title in the European Cup Winners’ Cup and reached the final in the same competition again in 1976.
In the Europa League, Jose Mourinho's Roma side reached the final, with a 1-0 aggregate win over Bundesliga side Bayer Leverkusen.
Roma held Leverkusen to a scoreless draw in Germany to clinch their spot.
They will face six-time champion Sevilla, who knocked out Juventus with a 2-1 win after extra time.
The final takes place on May 31 in the Hungarian capital of Budapest.
ABC/AP
