Sunderland 2 - 1 Crystal Palace

Sunderland 2-1 Crystal Palace

Updated: May 17, 2004, 6:16 PM ET

Crystal Palace claimed their place in the First Division play-off final after a dramatic 5-4 penalty shoot-out victory over Sunderland at the Stadium of Light, the aggregate having ended 4-4.

Michael Hughes struck the winning sudden-death penalty after Nico Vaesen had saved a tame effort from Jeff Whitley.

• Dowie delight at soaring Eagles

The semi-final had gone down to spot-kicks after Palace substitute Darren Powell had headed home in the final minute of normal time to level the tie 4-4 on aggregate and force extra-time.

Sunderland had looked on course for victory inside 90 minutes after first half goals from Kevin Kyle and Marcus Stewart had overturned the 3-2 first-leg deficit.

Sunderland keeper Mart Poom made a good early save at Julian Gray's feet, then needed the help of an upright to keep them out with six minutes gone after Aki Riihilahti rose unopposed to head a Granville cross past the `keeper's left hand.

But it was Sunderland who took the lead against the run of play on 42 minutes when Kyle pulled away from defender Mikele Leigertwood to chest down Jason McAteer's cross and fire right-footed under Vaesen.

And there was even better to come deep into injury time when Marcus Stewart sent a bullet header from another McAteer cross past Vaesen to make it 2-0 on the night and turn the whole tie around.

Substitute Darren Powell, a 72nd-minute replacement for Granville, sent a powerful header from a Routledge corner over the bar with his first touch in what was to become an eventful few minutes for him.

He and Kyle were flattened by Poom as the keeper came over the top of them to clear a deep cross, and the big defender reacted angrily as the Estonian tried to pick himself up.

The pressure was mounting all the time and Gray went agonisingly close with 13 minutes remaining when his nimble feet allowed him to get himself into a shooting position and he drove a low effort just wide.

Gray's evening ended five minutes from full-time when he received his second yellow card for a wild challenge on McAteer, but the visitors grabbed a lifeline at the death.

Shipperley appeared to foul Poom as Derry injury-time corner came in but Powell rose at the far post to head home and take the tie into extra time.

Palace made light of their numerical disadvantage in the first half of extra-time, although a tiring Kyle might have done better when he beat the offside trap in pursuit of Oster's 96th-minute pass but could not collect the ball with only Vaesen to beat.

Phil Babb had an anxious moment three minutes later when he hacked the ball into his own side-netting after Johnson had intercepted Carl Robinson's under-hit pass and raced into the box.

Sunderland simply could not force their way into the game as Hughes and Riihilahti dominated in midfield and Gray and Routledge used their pace to good effect from wide positions to feed dangermen Andrew Johnson and Shipperley.

Johnson and Danny Butterfield shot just wide from distance as Palace flexed their muscles once again with half-time approaching, but it was then that game took a remarkable twist.

Vaesen had seen little of the ball until that point, but he found himself having to pick it out of his net twice within minutes.

Sunderland legend Niall Quinn could not have controlled and dispatched McAteer's 42nd-minute cross to the far post any better than Kyle did to level on aggregate and send a hitherto frustrated home crowd into raptures.

But even better was to come deep into injury time when McAteer crossed once again, this time to the near post, and Stewart wrong-footed Vaesen with a powerful long-range header to change the whole complexion of the game.

Mick McCarthy's men carried on where they had left off after the break, helped to no small degree by a greater resilience at the back as Palace attempted to force their way back into the tie.

The home side grew in confidence as the half wore on and it was Dowie who opted for change in a bid to find a way back into the game when he sent on Derry and Dougie Freedman in place of Riihilahti and Butterfield.

But despite enjoying the better of the possession, Palace were losing their composure with the minutes ticking away.

The home side were coming under ever greater pressure and almost succumbed on 77 minutes when Gray carefully picked his way through the minefield to unleash a low right-foot shot which flew just wide.

Gray's evening came to a premature end five minutes from time when he was dismissed for his second bookable offence, a wild swing at McAteer.

But the drama continued right into injury time when Powell rose to head home Derry's corner with Shipperley apparently impeding Poom to take the tie into extra time.

The home side battered away at the visitors throughout the extra 30 minutes but their fate once again came down to the dreaded penalty shoot-out.

Dowie delight at soaring Eagles

Following the final whistle Crystal Palace boss Iain Dowie praised his players after they secured a place in the First Division play-off final with a dramatic win.

Dowie's Eagles progressed to a Millennium Stadium showdown with West Ham or Ipswich after prevailing 5-4 on penalties at the Stadium of Light after their semi-final had ended 4-4 on aggregate.

Michael Hughes struck the winning penalty on the seventh round of spot-kicks after Nico Vaesen had saved from Jeff Whitley.

The game had gone to penalties after Palace substitute Darren Powell had scored in the 90th minute to make the score 2-1 to Sunderland on the night.

Dowie told Sky Sports: 'I was disappointed to be going in at half-time 2-0 down.

'We started terrifically and should have been in front after 10 minutes but Mick (McCarthy) has a great side. They play with passion and desire and their first goal give them real life.

'We knew we had to win the second half and the commitment and desire that we have shown speaks volumes and I can't speak highly enough.'

Palace played throughout extra time with just 10 men after Julian Gray was sent off in the last minute for a second bookable offence.

Dowie added: 'To get a result here, no-one can begrudge it us after defending with 10 men in extra time.'