How is your luck Sheffield United?
Talk of Wembley and play-off curses are of course far-fetched, but Lady Luck laughed in the Blades' faces with a place in the Premier League in sight.
Ultimately, though, they did not look after themselves, Andre Brooks missing a golden chance that surely would have stopped Sunderland claiming a place in the top-flight at their expense, then Kieffer Moore inadvertently setting up Sunderland's winner.
Wembley really is the cruellest place to lose, and this 2-1 defeat was a particularly cruel way to do it.
It was the 10th time Sheffield United have lost out in the play-offs, their eighth straight defeat at Wembley. The wait goes on.
The Blades had led 1-0 after a goal beautifully crafted by Gustavo Hamer. Not only was their outstanding player forced off through injury, so his replacement, Ben Brereton Diaz, would be.
Sunderland got back on level terms shortly after Hamer's departure – and Brooks' miss – and when Anel Ahmedhodzic was off the field injured, Tommy Watson put the Black Cats ahead for the first time in the game, five minutes into added time.
Another season in the Championship awaits for the Blades, who must lick their wounds and come again, whilst Sunderland showed their character throughout these play-offs to scramble into the Premier League without the benefit of a parachute payment.
DEVASTATION: The Sheffield United players come to terms with Sunderland's winning goals (Image: Paul Terry / Sportimage)DEVASTATION: The Sheffield United players come to terms with Sunderland's winning goals (Image: Paul Terry / Sportimage)
DEVASTATION: The Sheffield United players come to terms with Sunderland's winning goals (Image: Paul Terry / Sportimage)
The Blades put their opponents under pressure right from the start, Moore's header forcing a terrific low save from Anthony Patterson.
The striker got between Luke O'Nein and Dennis Cirkin to win it, and the former – Sunderland's captain – appeared to dislocate his shoulder in the process. It ended his afternoon, although his team were fortunate to have a replacement of Chris Mepham's quality on the bench.
Nearly five minutes of treatment did not disrupt Sheffield United's rhythm, as shown by Hamer's volley into traffic when a Harrison Burrows cross was cleared to him shortly after the game restarted.
Playing in a 4-4-2 formation, the Blades were not embarrassed to play the ball up to Moore's head or clip it in behind for Tyrese Campbell, who had a shot blocked after a quarter of an hour when Jobe Bellingham was unable to cut out Rhian Brewster's pass from wide on the right, where he was preferred to Brereton Diaz and Jesurun Rak-Sakyi, who did not make the squad.
GOAL: Tyrese Campbell lifts the ball over Sunderland goalkeeper Anthony Patterson to put Sheffield United in front (Image: Paul Terry / Sportimage)GOAL: Tyrese Campbell lifts the ball over Sunderland goalkeeper Anthony Patterson to put Sheffield United in front (Image: Paul Terry / Sportimage)
GOAL: Tyrese Campbell lifts the ball over Sunderland goalkeeper Anthony Patterson to put Sheffield United in front (Image: Paul Terry / Sportimage)
Sunderland had gambled on the fitness of Romaine Mundle from the start, but makeshift right-back Hamza Choudhury shackled him well, with good support from Brewster. When the winger got a rare sight of the ball in the 13th minute, Choudhury nipped in to take the ball off his toes.
So it was no great shock when the Blades took the lead, after 25 minutes, with a goal of great quality. All three would be,
If Hamer's turn of pace to accelerate away from the halfway line after a Black Cats' corner was cleared to him was surprising, the timing and execution of his pass across to Campbell was anything but. The cool dinked finish, for the striker's first goal in nine games was top class too.
It looked like they had doubled their lead 10 minutes later, but when Burrows sweetly caught a volley on the D after a corner was cleared out to him, Chris Kavanagh rightly disallowed the goal for Vinicius Souza interfering with Patterson's attempt to keep the shot at.
CHALKED OFF: Harrison Burrows' "goal" is chalked off for Sheffield United (Image: David Klein / Sportimage)CHALKED OFF: Harrison Burrows' "goal" is chalked off for Sheffield United (Image: David Klein / Sportimage)
CHALKED OFF: Harrison Burrows' "goal" is chalked off for Sheffield United (Image: David Klein / Sportimage)
The referee came to his decision after being sent to the pitchside monitor and explained it clearly to the crowd.
It was the only time this season either side has had to endure VAR but it was an example of the system working as it should.
Sunderland had a spell of pressure late in the half but it did not amount to much, Chris Rigg's acrobatic effort failing to connect with the ball. Mundle began to find a bit more space but when he came inside in the 44th minute, Ahmedhodzic produced an excellent tackle.
Sunderland maintained and increased that momentum with a strong start to the second half, but the Blades kept Michael Cooper's work to a minimum.
Brewster came up with a good tackle in the area as the ball was rolled back to Dan Neill, and Mundle ballooned a shot.
Unable to apply much pressure themselves, for the Blades, it became about being sharp on the counter-attack.
GETTING STUCK IN. Vinícius Souza tussles with Romaine Mundle (Image: David Klein / Sportimage)GETTING STUCK IN. Vinícius Souza tussles with Romaine Mundle (Image: David Klein / Sportimage)
GETTING STUCK IN. Vinícius Souza tussles with Romaine Mundle (Image: David Klein / Sportimage)
Moore produced a lovely touch and good long-range give-and-go with Sydie Peck, upping his game on the big stage, but he lacked Hamer's acceleration to get clear of his man, and his shot was smothered.
The big chance was Brooks', in the 70th minute.
Recently introduced for Brewster, he pounced when Cirkin dawdled on the ball but with two attempts to beat Patterson, hit both at the goalkeeper.
There was a hint of handball in the build-up, which may have caused VAR to cancel it anyway, but that did nothing to ease the disappointment.
Perhaps inevitably, his side were made to pay for it five minutes later when former Middlesbrough player Patrick Roberts slipped Eliezer Mayenda through for a finish which left Cooper with no chance.
O'Nien, his arm in a sling, ran over to celebrate with his team-mates.
Wembley erupted, the Roker roar of delight met by a cheer of encouragement from the opposite side of the ground, which was disappointingly not full.
It was another gut-punch for a team who had not long earlier seen the talismanic Hamer limp off. His replacement, Brereton Diaz, lasted 18 minutes before having to go off himself.
Quickly on the back of Tom Cannon's introduction for the latter, Ahmedhodzic had lengthy treatment, and was on the sidelines when the ball was played up to Moore, whose touch back found Watson, rather than a red-and-white striped shirt.
The substitute carried the ball goalwards and unleashed a shot beyond Cooper's reach.
It was sad because the Welshman had played well but no one will remember that now.
Just like Dan Ballard's winner in Sunderland's semi-final second leg at home to Coventry City, it was too late for a reply.
Fourteen points better than the Black Cats over the course of the regular season, Sheffield United had to watch them climb the steps to take the trophy, and the riches that go with it.
The sting of this defeat will take a long time to go away.
Sheffield United: Cooper; Choudhury, Ahmedhodzic (Seriki 90+7), Robinson, Burrows; Brewster (Brooks 64), Peck (T Davies 90), Souza, Hamer (Brereton Diaz 72 (Cannon 90)); Moore, Campbell (O'Hare 64).
Unused substitutes: McCallum, Holding, A Davies.
Sunderland: Patterson; Hume, Ballard, O'Nien (Mepham 8), Cirkin; Neil (Watson 72), Bellingham; Rigg (Roberts 58), Le Fee, Mundle (Isidor 72); Mayenda (Hjelde 90+7).
Unused substitutes: Browne, Abdul Samed, S Moore, Jones.
Referee: C Kavanagh (Ashton-under-Lyne).