Leeds Win Championship Title on Goal Difference, Luton Relegated

Football - Championship - Plymouth Argyle v Leeds United - Home Park, Plymouth, Britain - May 3, 2025 Leeds United's Ethan Ampadu lifts the trophy as he celebrates with his teammates after winning the Championship. (Action Images via Reuters)
Football - Championship - Plymouth Argyle v Leeds United - Home Park, Plymouth, Britain - May 3, 2025 Leeds United's Ethan Ampadu lifts the trophy as he celebrates with his teammates after winning the Championship. (Action Images via Reuters)
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Leeds Win Championship Title on Goal Difference, Luton Relegated

Football - Championship - Plymouth Argyle v Leeds United - Home Park, Plymouth, Britain - May 3, 2025 Leeds United's Ethan Ampadu lifts the trophy as he celebrates with his teammates after winning the Championship. (Action Images via Reuters)
Football - Championship - Plymouth Argyle v Leeds United - Home Park, Plymouth, Britain - May 3, 2025 Leeds United's Ethan Ampadu lifts the trophy as he celebrates with his teammates after winning the Championship. (Action Images via Reuters)

Leeds United edged out Burnley to win the second-tier Championship title on goal difference after both teams finished the season with 100 points as Luton Town suffered a second straight relegation on Saturday.

On a frantic final day, Daniel Farke's Leeds trailed at Plymouth Argyle early in the game through a Sam Byram own goal but Wilfried Gnonto levelled eight minutes into the second half.

With Burnley leading Millwall, Leeds desperately needed a winner and it was Tottenham Hotspur loanee Manor Solomon who popped up with a goal in added time to give Leeds a 2-1 victory that also relegated Plymouth.

Burnley beat Millwall 3-1 but lost out on the title due to Leeds' superior goal difference.

"I can't put into words what I'm feeling right now. It is a dream come true to score the winning goal and take this Championship," Solomon told BBC Radio.

"Throughout the season we've shown we deserve this trophy and to finish in the first spot... We all knew what was happening at Burnley and we knew we needed to score. It paid off and the ball went into the net."

Both Leeds and Burnley had sealed promotion to the Premier League last month with a guaranteed top-two finish.

COVENTRY MAKE PLAYOFFS

Sheffield United finished third with 90 points after a 1-1 draw with Blackburn Rovers, who ended seventh and missed out on the last playoff spot by two points.

In the playoffs, Sheffield United will take on Bristol City, who finished sixth with 68 points while fourth-placed Sunderland (76 points) take on Frank Lampard's Coventry City (fifth with 69 points), who beat Middlesbrough 2-0 to secure a playoff spot.

It was redemption for Lampard who had aimed to prove his doubters wrong when he took over in November with Coventry 17th in the Championship.

"I loved it, it's so tense for everyone involved," Lampard told Sky Sports.

"The players deserve so much credit for getting over the line after where we've come from. We got what we deserved."

The two-legged playoffs will be held between May 8-13 and the final is on May 24.

LUTON RELEGATED

At the bottom of the table, Luton became only the fourth club in history to suffer back-to-back relegations from the Premier League.

They were playing in the top flight only a year ago but will start next season in League One, with their fans chanting "You're not fit to wear the shirt" at the players after Luton lost 5-3 to West Bromwich Albion in the final game.

"You've got to face the music. Ultimately, we've put ourselves in this situation and we need to take accountability," Luton captain Carlton Morris said.

"It's tough to put into words. I feel sorry for the fans and also for the lads with the effort they've put in recently. We gave ourselves too much of a mountain to climb."

Luton will be joined in the third tier by Cardiff City, who finished bottom after a 4-2 defeat by Norwich City.

Norwich and Cardiff were being managed by former Arsenal team mates Jack Wilshere and Aaron Ramsey after both took interim charge of their respective clubs last month.



Coco Gauff Says her Mom’s Advice in Riyadh Helped her Win French Open

Coco Gauff of the US kisses the trophy after winning the final match of the French Tennis Open against Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus at the Roland-Garros stadium in Paris, Saturday, June 7, 2025. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)
Coco Gauff of the US kisses the trophy after winning the final match of the French Tennis Open against Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus at the Roland-Garros stadium in Paris, Saturday, June 7, 2025. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)
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Coco Gauff Says her Mom’s Advice in Riyadh Helped her Win French Open

Coco Gauff of the US kisses the trophy after winning the final match of the French Tennis Open against Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus at the Roland-Garros stadium in Paris, Saturday, June 7, 2025. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)
Coco Gauff of the US kisses the trophy after winning the final match of the French Tennis Open against Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus at the Roland-Garros stadium in Paris, Saturday, June 7, 2025. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)

Newly-crowned French Open champion Coco Gauff, the first Black American to win the title in a decade, said on Saturday her victory in Paris was for people back home who looked like her and struggled amid ongoing political turmoil.

Gauff battled from a set down to beat Aryna Sabalenka 6-7(5) 6-2 6-4 and lift her first French Open crown and her second Grand Slam title after the 2023 US Open, Reuters reported.

She is the first Black American to win the French Open since Serena Williams in 2015.

"It means a lot (to win the title), and obviously there's a lot going on in our country right now with things -- like, everything, yeah. I'm sure you guys know," she said, smiling but without elaborating further.

"But just to be able to be a representation of that and a representation of, I guess, people that look like me in America who maybe don't feel as supported during this time period, and so just being that reflection of hope and light for those people."

"I remember after the (US presidential) election and everything, it kind of felt a down period a little bit and my mom told me during Riyadh (in November 2024) 'just try to win the tournament, just to give something for people to smile for'.

"So that's what I was thinking about today when holding that (trophy).

"Then seeing the flags in the crowd means a lot. You know, some people may feel some type of way about being patriotic and things like that, but I'm definitely patriotic and proud to be American, and I'm proud to represent the Americans that look like me and people who kind of support the things that I support."

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