The 2021 EFL Trophy Final (known for sponsorship reasons as the 2021 Papa John's Trophy Final) was a football match that was played at Wembley Stadium. It decided the winners of the 2020–21 EFL Trophy, the 37th edition of the competition, a knock-out tournament for the 48 teams in League One and League Two and 16 category one academy sides. The match was played on 14 March 2021, one day after the final for the previous tournament, which was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[1] Although no fans were present, supporters raised money for local initiatives through virtual ticket sales.

2021 EFL Trophy Final
Event2020–21 EFL Trophy
Date14 March 2021
VenueWembley Stadium, London
RefereeCharles Breakspear
Attendance0
2020
2022

Sunderland won 1–0 for their first win at Wembley in 48 years.[2]

Route to the final

edit

Sunderland

edit

Pos Div Team Pld W PW PL L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1 L1 Fleetwood Town 3 3 0 0 0 8 2 +6 9 Advance to Round 2
2 L1 Sunderland 3 2 0 0 1 14 6 +8 6
3 L2 Carlisle United 3 1 0 0 2 7 9 −2 3
4 ACA Aston Villa U21 3 0 0 0 3 2 14 −12 0
Source: EFL.com
8 September 2020 (2020-09-08) Group Stage Sunderland 8–1 Aston Villa U21 Stadium of Light
19:00 BST Wyke   15', 50'
Feeney   21'
Scowen   75'
Power   77'
Graham   82'
Dobson   84'
O'Brien   90'
Report Vassilev   47' (pen.) Attendance: 0
Referee: Carl Boyeson
6 October 2020 (2020-10-06) Group Stage Sunderland 5–3 Carlisle United Stadium of Light
19:45 BST Maguire   26', 54'
Hume   37'
Wyke   69'
Diamond   90+1'
Alessandra   6' (pen.)
Mellish   72', 82'
Attendance: 0
10 November 2020 (2020-11-10) Group Stage Fleetwood Town 2–1 Sunderland Highbury Stadium
19:45 GMT McKay   51'
Duffy   59'
McFadzean   15' Attendance: 0
8 December 2020 (2020-12-08) Round 2Oldham Athletic1–2 Sunderland Oldham
19:00 GMT Grant   13' Report Maguire   30'
Scowen   64'
Stadium: Boundary Park
Attendance: 0
12 January 2021 Round 3 Sunderland 2–0Port ValeSunderland
18:00 GMT O'Brien   21'
McGeady   90+7' (pen.)
Stadium: Stadium of Light
Referee: Declan Bourne
2 February 2021 Quarter-FinalMilton Keynes Dons0–3 Sunderland Milton Keynes
18:30 GMT Harvie   56'
Gladwin   69'
Report Lewington   12' (o.g.)
McGeady   76'
Wyke   82'
Stadium: Stadium MK
Attendance: 0
Referee: Thomas Bramall
17 February 2021 Semi-Final Sunderland 1–1
(5–3 p)
Lincoln CitySunderland
18:00 GMT
Report
Stadium: Stadium of Light
Attendance: 0
Referee: Ben Toner
Penalties

Tranmere Rovers

edit

Pos Div Team Pld W PW PL L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1 L2 Port Vale 3 2 1 0 0 7 3 +4 8 Advance to Round 2
2 L2 Tranmere Rovers 3 1 1 1 0 5 4 +1 6
3 L1 Wigan Athletic 3 1 0 1 1 9 6 +3 4
4 ACA Liverpool U21 3 0 0 0 3 5 13 −8 0
Source: EFL.com
8 September 2020 (2020-09-08) Group Stage Port Vale 0–0
(4–3 p)
Tranmere Rovers Vale Park
19:00 BST Report Attendance: 0
Referee: Declan Bourne
Penalties
Whitehead  
Cullen  
Conlon  
Trickett-Smith  
Rodney  
Fitzpatrick  
Banks  
Khan  
Morris  
O'Connor  
Payne  
Walker-Rice  
29 September 2020 (2020-09-29) Group Stage Tranmere Rovers 3–2 Liverpool U21 Prenton Park
19:00 BST Vaughan   74', 75'
Payne   90'
Report Cain   50'
Longstaff   83'
Attendance: 0
Referee: Scott Oldham
11 November 2020 (2020-11-11) Group Stage Tranmere Rovers 2–2
(3–1 p)
Wigan Athletic Birkenhead
18:30 GMT Woolery   45+1'
Morris   72'
Report Keane   19'
McHugh   45+3'
Stadium: Prenton Park
Attendance: 0
Referee: Ben Speedie
Penalties
Ferrier  
Lloyd  
Smith  
Banks  
Morris  
James  
Joseph  
Perry  
Crankshaw  
8 December 2020 (2020-12-08) Round 2 Tranmere Rovers 2–1Manchester City U21Birkenhead
19:00 GMT Lloyd   27'
Banks   88' (pen.)
Report Delap   17' Stadium: Prenton Park
13 January 2021 Round 3 Tranmere Rovers 4–2Leicester City U21Birkenhead
19:30 GMT Ferrier   4'
Lloyd   37', 45+1'
Blackett-Taylor   53'
Wakeling   36'
Suengchitthawon   56'
Stadium: Prenton Park
Referee: Marc Edwards
2 February 2021 Quarter-Final Tranmere Rovers 2–1Peterborough UnitedBirkenhead
19:00 GMT Lloyd   38'
Lewis   82'
Clarke-Harris   90+1' (pen.) Stadium: Prenton Park
16 February 2021 Semi-FinalOxford United0–2 Tranmere Rovers Oxford
18:00 GMT
Report Stadium: Kassam Stadium
Attendance: 0
Referee: Craig Hicks

Match

edit
Sunderland1–0Tranmere Rovers
Report
Attendance: 0
Referee: Charles Breakspear
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Sunderland
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Tranmere Rovers
GK 1   Lee Burge
RB 6   Max Power (c)   90+2'
CB 3   Tom Flanagan   44'
CB 13   Luke O'Nien
LB 25   Callum McFadzean
DM 14   Josh Scowen
DM 23   Grant Leadbitter
AM 7   Chris Maguire   63'
AM 28   Aiden McGeady
CF 11   Lynden Gooch
CF 9   Charlie Wyke
Substitutes:
GK 20   Remi Matthews
DF 2   Conor McLaughlin   44'
DF 35   Ollie Younger
MF 12   Benjamin Mbunga-Kimpioka
MF 24   Daniel Neil
FW 21   Jack Diamond   63'
FW 31   Ross Stewart
Manager:
  Lee Johnson
GK 1   Scott Davies (c)
RB 17   Otis Khan
CB 26   Peter Clarke
CB 21   George Ray
LB 18   Calum Macdonald
DM 19   Liam Feeney
DM 8   Jay Spearing
RM 14   Kaiyne Woolery
AM 7   Kieron Morris   90+1'
LM 35   Danny Lloyd   65'
CF 22   Paul Lewis   65'
Substitutes:
GK 13   Joe Murphy
DF 3   Liam Ridehalgh
DF 6   Manny Monthé
MF 11   Corey Blackett-Taylor   65'
MF 16   Nya Kirby
FW 27   Jake Burton   90+1'
FW 28   David Nugent   65'
Manager:
  Keith Hill

References

edit
  1. ^ "'Wembley Weekender' for Papa John's Trophy Finals". EFL. 4 February 2021. Retrieved 6 February 2021.
  2. ^ Pilnick, Brent (14 March 2021). "Sunderland beat Tranmere in EFL Trophy". BBC Sport.