Match ends, Middlesbrough 1, Brighton and Hove Albion 1.
MiddlesbroughMiddlesbrough1BrightonBrighton & Hove Albion1
Middlesbrough ended their seven-year Premier League absence by drawing a tense and nervy Championship promotion decider against Brighton & Hove Albion at the Riverside.
Both sides began the game knowing that victory would see them join champions Burnley in the top flight next season, though a draw was enough for Boro to pip the Seagulls to second place on goal difference.
Cristhian Stuani's goal, from Gaston Ramirez's superb free-kick and David Nugent's touch across, put the hosts on their way in the first half.
Another free-kick led to Dale Stephens' equaliser, heading across goal at the back post after Brighton had begun the second period in full flow.
But Stephens was then dismissed for a foul on Ramirez - and Boro made the man advantage count to retain the scoreline for the rest of the game, including eight minutes of added time.
The point worth £170m
There was no end-of-season sunshine for the packed crowd at the Riverside, as a chilly, murky day greeted the two teams at kick-off - thank goodness then for the red-hot atmosphere in the ground.
Boro struck through Stuani and then soaked up Brighton's attempts and threatened on the break, with Uruguay international Ramirez hugely influential before he was withdrawn on a stretcher with a serious-looking leg injury.
Stuani, a compatriot of the Southampton loanee, could have had a hat-trick but saw a half-volley deflected over the top and then wasted a fine chance.
The Seagulls showed glimpses of their threat in the opening 45 minutes but playmaker Beram Kayal was kept quiet and their forward line was well marshalled, in particular by Daniel Ayala.
The visitors emerged with more potency after the break and Stephens' header gave them hope, before the midfielder was then sent off for a fierce tackle on Ramirez just four minutes later.
Boro lacked composure without their playmaker and Brighton, desperate for a goal, created spells of pressure but again Ayala, Ben Gibson and George Friend made big interventions.
Albert Adomah struck his point-blank shot at David Stockdale as Boro sought the goal to make sure, but it did not matter in the end as the whistle blew to spark scenes of celebration and relief at the end of a sapping, absorbing game.
Gibson's gamble pays off
The decision by chairman Steve Gibson to invest in playing staff for head coach Aitor Karanka was justified as two of the imports he helped finance came to the fore in Stuani and Ramirez.
It was Gibson's intervention 30 years ago that scraped the club off the canvas with extinction looming and his name was sung lustily by supporters before and during the game.
He oversaw the 2004 League Cup win at Cardiff and the run to the Uefa Cup final two years later, but few afternoons at the Riverside will have been as significant as this one.
Premier League money, a minimum of £170m, will prove hugely beneficial to a club that have faced tough economic times in their transition to the Championship.
What next for Albion?
It was always going to be tough to turn up and win on Teesside, where only Bristol City and Nottingham Forest had triumphed in the league this season.
However, Brighton still have another chance against Sheffield Wednesday in the play-offs - albeit without Stephens, who will serve a suspension for his red card.
The Seagulls, like their opponents, know the misery of play-off defeat well having been dumped out by rivals Crystal Palace three seasons ago, and then again by Derby the following season.
It will need to be third time lucky if they are to end their 33-year exile from the top flight.
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Line-ups
Middlesbrough
Formation 4-2-3-1
- 1Konstantopoulos
- 24Nsue
- 4Ayala
- 6Gibson
- 3Friend
- 8Clayton
- 7Leadbitter
- 18Stuani
- 21RamírezSubstituted forDowningat 63'minutes
- 27Adomah
- 35NugentSubstituted forRhodesat 80'minutes
Substitutes
- 5de Laet
- 9Rhodes
- 16de Sart
- 19Downing
- 25Agazzi
- 26Kalas
- 34Forshaw
Brighton
Formation 4-4-2
- 13Stockdale
- 2BrunoBooked at 90mins
- 17GoldsonBooked at 90mins
- 3GreerSubstituted forLua Luaat 82'minutes
- 23Rosenior
- 27KnockaertBooked at 23mins
- 6StephensBooked at 59mins
- 7Kayal
- 15MurphySubstituted forSidwellat 64'minutes
- 10Hemed
- 9BaldockSubstituted forWilsonat 45'minutes
Substitutes
- 1Mäenpää
- 12Bong
- 14Calderon
- 21Wilson
- 30Lua Lua
- 36Sidwell
- 38Skalak
- Referee:
- Mike Dean
- Attendance:
- 33,806
Match Stats
Home TeamMiddlesbroughAway TeamBrighton
- Possession
- Home38%
- Away62%
- Shots
- Home13
- Away7
- Shots on Target
- Home5
- Away1
- Corners
- Home4
- Away4
- Fouls
- Home13
- Away16
Live Text
Post update
Full Time
Second Half ends, Middlesbrough 1, Brighton and Hove Albion 1.
Booking
Bruno (Brighton and Hove Albion) is shown the yellow card.
Booking
Connor Goldson (Brighton and Hove Albion) is shown the yellow card.
Post update
Attempt missed. Adam Clayton (Middlesbrough) right footed shot from outside the box is high and wide to the right. Assisted by Stewart Downing.
Post update
Foul by Tomer Hemed (Brighton and Hove Albion).
Post update
Daniel Ayala (Middlesbrough) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Post update
Offside, Middlesbrough. Stewart Downing tries a through ball, but George Friend is caught offside.
Post update
Foul by Bruno (Brighton and Hove Albion).
Post update
Albert Adomah (Middlesbrough) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Post update
Foul by Tomer Hemed (Brighton and Hove Albion).
Post update
Daniel Ayala (Middlesbrough) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Post update
Attempt saved. Stewart Downing (Middlesbrough) left footed shot from a difficult angle and long range on the right is saved in the top right corner.
Post update
Foul by Kazenga Lua Lua (Brighton and Hove Albion).
Post update
Cristhian Stuani (Middlesbrough) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Post update
Beram Kayal (Brighton and Hove Albion) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Post update
Foul by Adam Clayton (Middlesbrough).
Post update
Attempt saved. Albert Adomah (Middlesbrough) left footed shot from the left side of the six yard box is saved in the bottom left corner.
Post update
Attempt blocked. Grant Leadbitter (Middlesbrough) right footed shot from the right side of the box is blocked. Assisted by Cristhian Stuani.
Post update
Delay over. They are ready to continue.
Comments
Join the conversation
Newcastle fan.
Newcastle fan
As a Brighton fan it's difficult to miss out on automatic promotion on goal difference. I don't think the red card would have had any impact on the result, but will certainly impact our playoff hopes.
For those classing Brighton as minnows: 2nd highest avg. attendance in league.
Now time for sheff wed to win the play offs
Well done Middlesbrough...............
I as a Boro fan would not be wanting to play you in a playoff situation.
Chin up lads.
UTB
There's no reason Brighton can't win the play-offs, but they don't seem to have the belief or hunger that would enable them to stay up if they did
Congrats also to Burley.
See you in the Prem next season Brighton.
#UTB
Im a albion fan and I have to say congrats to Boro, a very good team who fully deserve promotion - far more then burnley!
Normally a point would of been an excellent result away from home its just unlucky Albion left themselves needing 3 points against Boro