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Hull City Beats Millwall, Secures Wembley Final Spot

5/12/2026

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Summary

Hull City Advance

Hull City beat Millwall 2-0 in the playoff semi-final second leg, booking a Wembley final on May 23.
Belloumi scored in the 64th minute, his cross later assisting Gelhardt for a second goal in the 79th.
Hull, finishing sixth, became the first sixth-placed side in seven years to reach the final.
The win puts Hull one game from a Premier League return after nine years, facing Southampton or Middlesbrough.

Summary

Hull City Wins

Hull City’s 3-1 victory over Norwich City secured a top-six finish despite a transfer ban.
The club has been under a transfer restriction since last summer, preventing spending in the final two windows.
Sergej Jakirovic, appointed in June after Ruben Selles left, previously managed Rijeka, Dynamo Zagreb and Kayserispor.
Forwards Oli McBurnie, Joe Gelhardt and Mohamed Belloumi are expected to be decisive in the play-offs.

Summary

Hull City Injured

Hull’s injury list leaves five players unavailable for the second leg, including Cody Drameh and Eliot Matazo, who suffered an ACL injury.
Ivor Pandur kept a clean sheet in the first leg and will start the second leg.
Sergej Jakirovic may tweak the centre-back line, choosing between John Egan, Semi Ajayi or Paddy McNair.
Ryan Giles has eight assists this season while Oli McBurnie has scored 18 goals this campaign.

History

Historical Context

In 2008, Hull City—elected to the Football League in 1978 and playing in the fourth tier as 1994—won Premier League promotion with a 1-0 play-off victory over Bristol City under Phil Brown. In 2024, Sergej Jakirovic guided the club from sixth place to a Wembley final despite a transfer ban, reflecting the Championship’s play-off pathway and Hull’s 65 seasons in the second tier.

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Hull City Advance

Hull City beat Millwall 2-0 in the playoff semi-final second leg, booking a Wembley final on May 23.
Belloumi scored in the 64th minute, his cross later assisting Gelhardt for a second goal in the 79th.
Hull, finishing sixth, became the first sixth-placed side in seven years to reach the final.
The win puts Hull one game from a Premier League return after nine years, facing Southampton or Middlesbrough.

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