After a thrilling week that included a dramatic penalty shootout, four red cards and 11 goals from both semifinal two-legged fixtures, the Championship’s playoff final is set. Two of the oldest teams in English football will join Norwich City and Sheffield United for a place in next season’s Premier League.
Aston Villa–returning to the promotion final for a second straight year–faces Derby County, which is hoping to finally return to the top flight after being relegated after the 2007-2008 season.
For the fifth- and sixth-placed teams, reaching the final was anything but easy. Villa fought hard in a West Midlands derby against a physical, resilient West Brom side, but thanks to a well-rounded squad and performances of third-choice-goalkeeper-turned-hero Jed Steer, Villa came out victorious in a penalty shootout at the Hawthorns.