It was a case of huge disappointment for both Cardiff City and Swansea City in the Championship play-off semi-finals with both sides going out 3-2 on aggregate.
The Bluebirds beat Fulham 2-1 at Craven Cottage last night, but their 2-0 defeat to the Cottagers at Cardiff City Stadium meant they exited the race for the Premier League.
Fulham head to Wembley now where they will meet Brentford, who said goodbye to Griffin Park with a 3-1 win against the Swans, who won the first leg 1-0 at the Liberty Stadium.
Curtis Nelson put the Bluebirds ahead after eight minutes at Craven Cottage, but a minute later the scores were level after Neeskens Kebano hit back for Fulham.
Two minutes after the break Lee Tomlin grabbed Cardiff’s second to make for a tense second half but the Bluebirds couldn’t find the goal that would have taken the match into extra-time.
“Firstly I am disappointed we haven’t got through,” said Cardiff manager Neil Harris. “I had the belief coming here that we could go on and get through.
“I know most people didn’t but I know the capabilities of the group. I felt even at the end there would be chances and Robert Glatzel gets that chance.
“But that’s the disappointment done. I can’t be prouder of the players, the staff, the whole football club on where we have dragged ourselves to this season.”
Taking a one-goal advantage to Griffin Park on Wednesday night, the Swans conceded after just 11 minutes when Ollie Watkins tied the game on aggregate. Emiliano Marcondes put the Bees in front on 15 minutes and Bryan Mbeumo’s goal a minute after the restart made it an uphill battle for the Swans.
But approaching the final 10 minutes, Rhian Brewster pulled a goal back to make it a gripping end to Brentford’s 116-year tenure at Griffin Park.
Next up it’s Wembley for the Bees before they begin their next league campaign at the Brentford Community Stadium. But will that be in the Championship or Premier League? Fans will have to wait until Tuesday night to find out, but the Bees go into the game 11/10 favourites with SkyBet.
Fulham are 13/5 to return to the Premier League after relegation last season and in 2014, when the Bluebirds went down with them and Norwich. Norwich’s brief return to the top flight last season ended with them returning to the Championship. Will they be replaced by the Cottagers, who they themselves had replaced in the Premier League, after both Fulham and the Bluebirds went back to the top flight with Wolves for the 2018-19 season?
Whatever the outcome at Wembley, both Brentford and Fulham deserve their places in the final having both gone into the final day of the regular season with a chance of attaining automatic promotion. Had the Bees won at home against Barnsley, instead of losing 2-1, they’d already be planning for their first Premier League match at the Brentford Community Stadium. But perhaps they soon will be!
