Luton wins $360 million game
Score: Clark 23 - Hamer 66
After 120 minutes of a 1-1 draw, Luton Town and Coventry City went to penalties and made no mistakes in the first five shots. In the sixth round, while Luton captain Daniel Potts shot into the net, defender Fankaty Dabo shot over the bar and caused Coventry to miss the opportunity to return to the Premier League after 22 years.
Luton will play in the Premier League for the first time, with a breathtaking victory at Wembley. The last time they played in England's top division was the 1991-1992 season, just before the tournament changed to the English Premier League. This is an unexpected achievement for Luton, because nine years ago they were still playing in England's fifth division, ie semi-pro.
Luton finished first in England 2022-2023 in third place, winning a place to compete for tickets to the Premier League. They beat Sunderland 3-2 over two legs to enter the final game against Coventry at Wembley. Luton opened the scoring in the 23rd minute thanks to midfielder Jordan Clark, with a left foot shot to the near corner.
Coventry equalized in the 66th minute from a counter-attack, and midfielder Gustavo Hamer shot past defender Luton's legs into the net. Towards the end of extra time, Coventry conceded a shot from Joseph Taylor but referee Michael Oliver disallowed the goal because Taylor had used the ball to play.
In the penalty shootout, the spectators of both teams expressed concern before the home player took the shot. Many people even covered their faces and did not dare to look at these moments. However, the players showed confidence and did a good job, until Dabo - a mature defender from Chelsea - failed to eat.
According to Deloitte's analysis, Luton is expected to receive $ 211 million in the next three seasons from the Premier League organizers, thanks to winning the match. If they stay in the first season in the Premier League, this amount can increase to $ 360 million. Therefore, this match is considered the most expensive in the world.
Before that, the first two teams to win the Premier League from 2023-2024 were Burnley and Sheffield United, due to being ranked first in the English first division. Burnley and Sheffield are both regular guests of the English Premier League, when next year will be their ninth and sixth seasons in the league, respectively.
The English Premier League has determined a relegation place is Southampton. The remaining two seats belong to Everton, Leeds United or Leicester, based on the results of the final round of the tournament on May 28.
