First legs of Championship play-off semi-finals both end goalless for first time since 2011
FT: Norwich City 0-0 Leeds United
Firpo has ball in net for Leeds but effort ruled out for offside in game of few chances
Second leg at Elland Road on Thursday
FT: West Brom 0-0 Southampton
Diangana twice goes close for Baggies, Downes and Stewart have efforts saved for Saints
Second leg at St Mary's on Friday
West Brom 0-0 Southampton
Tony 'Bomber' Brown
West Brom's all-time leading goalscorer on BBC Radio WM
Jan Bednarek has threw himself. He gives you a chance, he dawdles on the ball, likes to play out.
Albion need to keep their tails up.
West Brom 0-0 Southampton
My word!
Southampton play themselves into a right royal mess and West Brom snatch the ball back 10 yards out.
A shot comes in but it's blocked away.
West Brom 0-0 Southampton
These West Brom subs have come just after those two chances and really stopped the flow.
It's taken about two minutes for them all to happen.
West Brom 0-0 Southampton
Adam Blackmore
BBC Radio Solent sports editor
I can not believe it hasn't gone in.
Unbelievable, Ross Stewart nearly marking his return to football with a goal that would have sent shivers around The Hawthorns.
The moment of the game so far, what a good save from West Brom keeper Alex Palmer.
West Brom 0-0 Southampton
Four subs West Brom? Four? That's insane.
Semi Ajayi, Yann M'Vila, John Swift and Jed Wallace are all on.
West Brom 0-0 Southampton
Tony 'Bomber' Brown
West Brom's all-time leading goalscorer on BBC Radio WM
Image source, Rex FeaturesWhat a great save from Alex Palmer but at the other end, Grady Diangana had too much time.
It was the best opportunity of the match.
He was trying to be too precise.
West Brom 0-0 Southampton
Great saves!
Wow!
First Alex McCarthy does well to get down and keep out Grady Diangana's shot for West Brom and STRAIGHT down the other end Ross Stewart cuts inside and his deflected shot is brilliantly saved by Alex Palmer with his legs.
There's life in this game yet!
West Brom 0-0 Southampton
Some nice passing from the Saints in a dangerous area nearly opens Albion up but a timely challenge means they have to settle for a corner.
The set-piece is well defended by the Baggies.
West Brom 0-0 Southampton
Tony 'Bomber' Brown
West Brom's all-time leading goalscorer on BBC Radio WM
I think that's a decent opportunity missed there.
You've got to make the goalkeeper work.
West Brom 0-0 Southampton
Image source, Rex FeaturesAlex Mowatt sends the free-kick a couple of yards over for the home side.
West Brom 0-0 Southampton
Free-kick to the home side in a great position as Taylor Harwood-Bellis is called for a body check on Okay Yokuslu.
Booking for the Saints man.
West Brom 0-0 Southampton
Ged Scott
BBC Sport at The Hawthorns
Southampton have only had one goalless draw this season - at John Eustace's draw specialists Blackburn Rovers in April.
Albion have had three, in a frustrating run of three of them in eight games in early autumn.
But, after a 0-0 earlier at Carrow Road, you have to think we're in for another pair of spectacles here.
West Brom 0-0 Southampton
SUBS!
Three of them for the away side.
Ross Stewart, Ryan Fraser and David Brooks are on and Sekou Mara, Adam Armstrong and Ryan Manning are off.
Quote MessageRussell Martin needs to roll the dice here. It looks like we're going to see some attacking changes which I feel was needed.
Adam Blackmore, BBC Radio Solent sports editor
West Brom 0-0 Southampton
West Brom make the most of some lax play from the home side to win another corner.
It's sent in for Kyle Bartley to attack on the middle but it skews off the side of his head and goes well wide.
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George, Birmingham: Time to switch to one-off ties for play-off semi-finals, rather than two legs. This would increase the excitement.
Try telling that to Crewe, who lost the first leg of their League Two semi-final 2-0 to Doncaster but ended up going through on penalties. And without two legs we would never have had THAT comeback by Sheffield Wednesday to beat Peterborough last season.
West Brom 0-0 Southampton
Back under way.
When was the last time the first legs of both Championship play-off semi-finals ended goalless I hear you ask?
2011.
West Brom 0-0 Southampton
Nick Mashiter
BBC Sport football news reporter
Image source, Getty ImagesThe visitors started the second half the stronger and, in this heat, Southampton will be keen to keep Albion chasing the ball.
Carlos Corberan has always been the more animated of the two managers, having come charging out of his dugout a few times, but he will have been concerned with the hosts' opening to the second half.
Albion will hope Darnell Furlong's chance at the far post will spark their improvement.
West Brom 0-0 Southampton
Tony 'Bomber' Brown
West Brom's all-time leading goalscorer on BBC Radio WM
It's still a very tight game.
Both sides are probing, trying to get that one opportunity.
There's going to be changes. Will they be effective from the manager? We don't know.
West Brom 0-0 Southampton
Image source, PA MediaDrinks break.
West Brom 0-0 Southampton
Tony 'Bomber' Brown
West Brom's all-time leading goalscorer on BBC Radio WM
He's done well there, Darnell Furlong.
He's got in front of Joe Aribo, he's got the connection but it's just gone outside the post.
It could have easily gone inside.
| Position | Team | Played | Won | Drawn | Lost | Goals For | Goals Against | Goal Difference | Points | Form, Last 6 games, Oldest first |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 46 | 31 | 4 | 11 | 89 | 41 | 48 | 97 |
| |
| 2 | 46 | 28 | 12 | 6 | 92 | 57 | 35 | 96 |
| |
| 3 | 46 | 27 | 9 | 10 | 81 | 43 | 38 | 90 |
| |
| 4 | 46 | 26 | 9 | 11 | 87 | 63 | 24 | 87 |
| |
| 5 | 46 | 21 | 12 | 13 | 70 | 47 | 23 | 75 |
| |
| 6 | 46 | 21 | 10 | 15 | 79 | 64 | 15 | 73 |
| |
| 7 | 46 | 19 | 13 | 14 | 68 | 60 | 8 | 70 |
| |
| 8 | 46 | 20 | 9 | 17 | 71 | 62 | 9 | 69 |
| |
| 9 | 46 | 17 | 13 | 16 | 70 | 59 | 11 | 64 |
| |
| 10 | 46 | 18 | 9 | 19 | 56 | 67 | -11 | 63 |
| |
| 11 | 46 | 17 | 11 | 18 | 53 | 51 | 2 | 62 |
| |
| 12 | 46 | 19 | 5 | 22 | 53 | 70 | -17 | 62 |
| |
| 13 | 46 | 16 | 11 | 19 | 45 | 55 | -10 | 59 |
| |
| 14 | 46 | 15 | 12 | 19 | 59 | 65 | -6 | 57 |
| |
| 15 | 46 | 13 | 17 | 16 | 61 | 61 | 0 | 56 |
| |
| 16 | 46 | 16 | 8 | 22 | 52 | 54 | -2 | 56 |
| |
| 17 | 46 | 15 | 11 | 20 | 49 | 60 | -11 | 56 |
| |
| 18 | 46 | 15 | 11 | 20 | 47 | 58 | -11 | 56 |
| |
| 19 | 46 | 14 | 11 | 21 | 60 | 74 | -14 | 53 |
| |
| 20 | 46 | 15 | 8 | 23 | 44 | 68 | -24 | 53 |
| |
| 21 | 46 | 13 | 12 | 21 | 59 | 70 | -11 | 51 |
| |
| 22 | 46 | 13 | 11 | 22 | 50 | 65 | -15 | 50 |
| |
| 23 | 46 | 9 | 18 | 19 | 48 | 77 | -29 | 45 |
| |
| 24 | 46 | 5 | 12 | 29 | 37 | 89 | -52 | 27 |
|
Manager: Carlos Corberán
Formation: 4 - 2 - 3 - 1
Manager: Russell Martin
Formation: 3 - 5 - 2
Manager: Carlos Corberán
Formation: 4 - 2 - 3 - 1
Manager: Russell Martin
Formation: 3 - 5 - 2
Championship
All competitions
All competitions
All competitions
West Brom have lost seven of their last eight meetings with Southampton in all competitions (W1), losing both meetings with the Saints in the regular Championship season this term.
Southampton have lost just one of their last six away games against West Brom in all competitions (W4 D1), going down 3-0 in the Premier League in April 2021.
This is West Brom’s fourth appearance in the second tier play-offs – they lost at the semi-final stage in both 2000-01 (vs Bolton) and 2018-19 (vs Aston Villa), and in the 2007 final against Derby. Every team to beat them in the second tier play-offs has ended up gaining promotion to the Premier League that year.
This is just Southampton’s second appearance in the Football League play-offs – they were eliminated in the 2006-07 Championship semi-final by Derby County, who would go on to beat West Brom in the final.
West Bromwich Albion won 15 home games during the regular Championship season, their most victories at the Hawthorns in a single league campaign since 2009-10 (16).
The Championship play-off winning team has alternated between the team finishing fourth and the team finishing third in each of the last four campaigns, with third placed Luton Town triumphant last season.
