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Huddersfield beat Sheffield Wednesday on penalties to reach play-off final


Danny Ward was the Huddersfield hero as the Terriers booked their place in the Championship play-off final with a dramatic penalty shoot-out win over Sheffield Wednesday at Hillsborough.
Ward saved spot-kicks from Sam Hutchinson then crucially from Fernando Forestieri to send his side through 4-3 on penalties after the sides had finished 120 minutes locked together at 1-1.
In the dramatic finale, Terriers substitute Jack Payne had missed the chance to win it when his penalty was saved by Keiren Westwood – only for Ward to block Forestieri’s effort and book a final clash with Reading.
Steven Fletcher had converted a cross from Barry Bannan to head Wednesday into a 51st minute lead but the visitors drew level 12 minutes later when a cross by substitute Collin Quaner was turned into his own net by Tom Lees.
The late finish was hardly surprising, given the two sides could not be split over the course of the regular Championship season – nor again in last week’s first-leg stalemate.
Izzy Brown had the best chance to break the deadlock in a first half in which tension on both sides kept clear-cut opportunities to a minimum. Brown should have done better when he met a left-wing cross from Wells in the centre of the box but swept his low, left-foot shot inches wide of target.
Wednesday, forced into a change when Adam Reach replaced the injured Ross Wallace inside the opening 10 minutes, had marginally the better of the early play. Fletcher had a shot blocked at close-range by Terriers captain Tommy Smith then substitute Reach hit his shot on the turn straight at Ward.
Wednesday looked brighter after the break and got their reward within five minutes after a move which initially appeared to have petered out on the edge of the box.
Steven Fletcher celebrates scoring his side's first goal of the game
(Richard Sellers/Empics)
Fletcher played the ball back out where it was retrieved by Bannan, whose deep cross back in to the far post found the Scot who steered a perfectly-poised header beyond Ward’s grasp.
Elias Kachunga blazed high and wide eight minutes later and Wagner replaced the German with his compatriot Quaner in the 71st minute, with an immediate positive effect.
Quaner picked up a ball from Rajiv van la Parra on the right side of the Wednesday box and his cross was poked into his own net by Lees under pressure from Wells.
Nahki Wells celebrates as Tom Lees scores an own goal
(Martin Rickett/PA)
Westwood came to Wednesday’s rescue as he twice denied Wells in the last five minutes of normal time, first blocking a shot set up by Quaner, then pouncing again as the striker hesitated over a through-ball.
In extra-time, Jordan Rhodes drove a shot straight at Ward and Chris Schindler’s crucial block denied Forestieri. Quaner lashed a shot into the side-netting and Rhodes flashed a header just wide before Marriner signalled the inevitable spot-kicks.
Ward saved early from Sam Hutchinson and after Terriers substitute Payne missed the chance to win it for his wide, the keeper stepped up again to deny Forestieri and spark jubilant scenes among the visiting players and fans.
David Wagner celebrates victory
(Richard Sellers/Empics)
Huddersfield boss David Wagner: “I’m happy and proud of what my players have done today and over the whole season. Most pundits said before the season we would be in relegation trouble or maybe get relegated, and now we are only one step away from the Premier League. This shows what an achievement it is for this low-budget club – the small dog, the small terrier but they have character and belief and trust in what they do.”
Sheffield Wednesday boss Carlos Carvalhal: “It is not the time to talk about my future – there are too many rumours around and things that don’t make any sense. It is clear that it (the season) is finished now and I will talk with the chairman. I have a fantastic relationship with the chairman and we will talk.”

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