West Ham qualified directly for the last 16 of the Europe League after a convincing 2-0 win over Freiburg at London Stadium saw them finish top of Group A.
Mohammed Kudus opened the scoring in 14th minute before Edson Alvarez’s strike just before half-time confirmed victory for the Hammers, who had started the match level on 12 points with their German opponents in the race for top spot.
David Moyes’ men bounced back after last weekend’s 5-0 Premier League mauling at Fulham to earn a seeded position in the knockout stages and avoid a play-off.
The hosts, chasing a 10th successive home win in Europe, came close to taking an early lead when Lucas Paqueta struck the Freiburg crossbar in the fifth minute.
A drop of the shoulder by Kudus saw the tricky attacker beat his man before delivering a cross to Paqueta who thundered his effort onto the bar.
However, West Ham’s persistence paid off barely 10 minutes later as they went ahead through Kudus.
Alvarez found the ball in midfield, picked his head up and delivered a lofted pass in behind the Freiburg defence for the Ghana international, who finished expertly past goalkeeper Noah Atubolu.
The goal was credit to the hosts’ early pressure and Kudus’ well-timed run and touch tested the VAR, who allowed the effort to stand despite calls for offside and handball.
Last season’s Europa Conference League champions looked eager to finish their opponents off quickly but Jarrod Bowen’s goal was ruled out for offside by referee Joao Pinheiro.
The England winger had got on the end of a similar ball to the one which had previously caught out the Freiburg defence, however he had failed to hold his line and the score remained 1-0.
At the other end, Freiburg, having already qualified from Group A alongside West Ham, rarely ventured as far as West Ham’s box until Ritsu Doan tested Lukasz Fabianski after 40 minutes.
But creator Alvarez turned scorer moments later to seal the tie.
The Mexican marauded forward with the ball and played a neat one-two with Bowen before finishing his work with a poacher’s finish into the bottom corner.
Freiburg showed a bit more fight in the second half through Doan, who rifled an effort at Fabianski, but it was West Ham who were in the ascendancy and looked more likely to strike the next blow.
Czech full-back Vladimir Coufal overlapped on the right flank and delivered a cut-back cross to Bowen who scuffed his effort over the bar instead of finding the empty net.
The dangerous Doan continued to be the only threat for Freiburg when he forced the save from Fabianski before substitute Noah Weishaupt’s rebounded effort was sliced over the bar.
Martin 'overwhelmed' after guiding Saints back into Premier League
Russell Martin admitted he was "overwhelmed by the love and support" from Southampton, after guiding the Saints back into the Premier League.
Martin's side sealed their return to the top flight at the first attempt, with Adam Armstrong's strike enough to seal a 1-0 victory over Leeds United in the Championship play-off final at Wembley.
The former Swansea City boss, who replaced Ruben Selles at St Mary's last June, secured his first promotion as a manager, having also done so five times as a player.
And Martin fought back tears as he reflected on his achievement.
"I feel really emotional, I feel overwhelmed by the love and support I've had over the past nine or 10 months - especially in the tougher times," he told Sky Sports. "The team have been so brave, and I'm really proud of them.
"I've enjoyed watching the team grow, and watching the players grow. I absolutely love that group of players. I'm so pleased for them because what we've asked them to do is not easy."
Meanwhile, Southampton skipper Jack Stephens paid tribute to his team-mates, who gave him his "best feeling in football".
"I'm so proud to be captain of this club. I'm so proud of the boys today, I think they've been unbelievable," the defender told Sky Sports. "I think we probably didn't play our best game today, but we showed a different side.
"A few people have doubted us over this season. Can we defend? Can we dig in? I think we really showed that today. The feeling I've got now is the best feeling I've ever had in football. Honestly, I'm just so emotional."
Matchwinner Armstrong added: "I don't know what to say. It's what we've been working for all year, we know how good the Championship has been this year.
"What a way to go up! I saw the space in behind [for the goal] and I knew if I put it across goal it was going to go in, so it was a nice one.
"It means everything. The gaffer and his staff came in in pre-season and put a marker down of what they wanted to see, and look at this. This is why we're footballers, we want to be involved in the biggest games, what a way to win."
Leeds United 0-1 Southampton: Armstrong sends Saints marching back into Premier League
Southampton secured an immediate return to the Premier League after Adam Armstrong was the hero in a 1-0 victory over Leeds United in the Championship play-off final.
Saints' top scorer Armstrong provided the decisive first-half strike at Wembley Stadium on Sunday, with his 24th league goal of the season sending Russell Martin’s side straight back into England's top division.
The pair had scored a combined 197 goals this campaign, but just the one finish was enough to settle what was only the third second-tier play-off final between two sides relegated the previous year.
Southampton join Leicester City and Ipswich Town in winning top-flight promotion, while Leeds – who hit the crossbar through Daniel James late on – must prepare for at least another campaign in the Championship.
Daniel Farke's team settled the quicker of the two sides, who were separated by just three points during the regular season, but with little success in front of goal.
Archie Gray – the youngest Leeds player to appear at Wembley – drilled just wide early on, while Wilfried Gnonto shot straight at Alex McCarthy.
However, Southampton struck the all-important opener after 24 minutes, somewhat against the run of play.
Armstrong beat the offside trap after Ethan Ampadu's mindless charge out from the back, latching onto Will Smallbone’s throughball before neatly slotting past Illan Meslier.
A shoulder injury forced a distraught David Brooks off soon after but the Saints went close to doubling their lead just before the break as Meslier parried away Armstrong’s drive.
Crysencio Summerville curled just wide from the edge of the box within four minutes of the restart as Leeds sought an equaliser.
Substitute James rattled the crossbar with a right-footed effort six minutes from time and was again denied by McCarthy, as Southampton held on to seal their return back to the big time.
One Armstrong finish, one giant step for Saints
Southampton were appearing in their first-ever play-off final, and they had lost on eight of their 10 previous visits to Wembley, including each of the last five.
However, the Saints stopped the rot with a little help from a promotion expert – boss Martin achieved five of them as a player, and this was his third to the top flight overall.
Armstrong's cool finish proved the difference; his 24 goals this term is the most by a Southampton player in a single season since Rickie Lambert struck 27 in 2011-12 – their last promotion-winning campaign.
It was also the Saints' 100th – and most important – goal of the season; their first time reaching triple figures since the 2009-10 season under Alan Pardew.
More play-off pain for Leeds
Leeds have now appeared in the English Football League play-offs on six occasions, failing to secure promotion in each of those instances.
The omens did not look good when they fell behind considering not since Cardiff City in 2010 has a team failed to get promoted after opening the scoring in a Championship play-off final.
It is just over 16 years since their third play-off final disappointment against Doncaster Rovers in League One (May 25, 2008), with Leeds now playing the most such matches without ever gaining promotion.
Farke also missed the opportunity to become the third manager – after Steve Bruce (four) and Neil Warnock (three) – to win three Premier League promotions, following his Championship-winning campaigns of 2018-19 and 2020-21 with Norwich City.
Nagelsmann backs Kompany potential as Bayern prepare for shock appointment
Germany manager Julian Nagelsmann backed Vincent Kompany to succeed at his former club Bayern Munich as expectations grow for the Belgian to take charge in Bavaria.
The former Manchester City captain, who began his coaching career in Belgium with Anderlecht, oversaw Burnley's relegation from the Premier League in the 2023-24 season.
Yet Kompany is expected to soon be announced as the new head coach of Bayern.
The Bundesliga giants parted ways with Thomas Tuchel after a rare season without silverware but Nagelsmann, speaking on Sky Germany, expects Kompany to deliver for the Bavarian side if appointed.
"I've heard that he's a very good coach with outstanding prospects, and he has had many good coaches who trained him, so he'll do well," said Nagelsmann, whose two-year spell with Bayern ended in 2023.
"In the end, it's good for the club that they didn't win the championship this time. I don't think it's a bad situation for a young coach who can leave his mark.
"Who, I think, can change more than if they had won the championship again or been extremely successful."
Bayern lost their last game of the Bundesliga season to finish third, having failed to win any of the four trophies they were in for, as their German top-flight dominance ended to Xabi Alonso's Bayer Leverkusen.
Alonso, who oversaw Leverkusen's unbeaten league season, had been Bayern's primary target but their former midfielder has elected to stay at Leverkusen next season.
Kompany would come as a surprise choice but Bayern will hope he can rediscover his magic touch from when guiding the Clarets to promotion, earning 101 points in the process in his first 2022-23 season.
However, Burnley managed just five wins this term on their way to taking 24 points this season as they finished 19th, going back down alongside Luton Town and Sheffield United.
The former Belgium international, if appointed, will leave Burnley having managed 96 games, winning 41 (42.7 per cent) of those matches.
SportsMax is the Caribbean sports channel of choice, committed to providing sporting content of the highest quality to the Caribbean, delivered by a team of highly innovative, passionate and qualified professionals.
(876) 619-7629
digitalmedia@sportsmax.tv
