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maltatoday, SUNDAY, 29 MAY 2016 Sport 50 FOOTBALL Hull return to Premier League Hull secured a return to the Premier League with a deserved 1-0 defeat of Sheffield Wednesday in the Sky Bet Championship play-off final at Wembley THE classiest of finishes from Mo- hamed Diame was rightly enough to earn promotion at the end of a season which for several reasons had threatened to unravel. Consistent speculation sur- rounded the future of manager Steve Bruce, a poor run of form in the second half of the season and concerns surrounding their seriously-ill owner Assem Allam had all threatened their ambitions. Diame's goal ensured it was Wednesday's hearts which were broken, however, cruelly ending the unlikeliest of challenges for promotion after a 17-year absence from the top flight and ensuring Hull, with the expected income that comes with reaching the Pre- mier League, can consider them- selves £170million richer. Following a promising start in which free-kicks from Wednes- day's Fernando Forestieri and Ross Wallace tested goalkeeper Eldin Jakupovic it was Hull's superior quality which exerted the greater influence. Tom Huddlestone had already seen a powerful shot saved by Keiren Westwood when, in the 29th minute, Robert Snodgrass curled a left-wing corner to Abel Hernandez, whose header was chested off the line by Kieran Lee when it bounced off Michael Daw- son and struck Lee's outstretched hand. Referee Bobby Madley ignored Dawson's calls for a penalty but if Hull were disheartened, it did not show. First Diame's through-ball put Hernandez through on goal with Westwood from where the Ireland international produced an outstanding save to tip wide. Then the midfielder ran through Wednesday's defence into space in the area, before from in front of goal sending a left-footed shot against the outside of the left post and out of play. If observers were not already wondering why a team featuring players of the collective ability of Dawson, Huddlestone, Diame and Snodgrass was ever relegated 12 months ago, they received another reminder of Hull's strength short- ly after half-time. Forestieri had been played through on goal and was closing in on Jakupovic when Curtis Davies showed impressive pace to chase back and time the classiest of slide tackles to clear. The next chance was again Hull's. From a 53rd-minute cor- ner, Snodgrass crossed to Dawson and the defender, with both time and space in front of goal, sent an- other powerful shot towards goal which Westwood again saved. It was when another fine chance came to nothing that the pos- sibility of Wednesday winning, having resisted significant pres- sure, seemed to increase. On the counter, Hull right-back Moses Odubajo picked out Andy Robert- son from directly in front of goal, but the Scot instead sent his first- time effort harmlessly clear of the crossbar. In what to most minds has been a romantic season, however, the fixture widely billed as football's richest was decided by a moment of true quality, demonstrating the obvious advantages money can buy. Diame, a player with six years' Premier League experience, col- lected possession in a routine position in Wednesday's half in the 72nd minute before, from 25 yards, lining up a shot and mas- terfully curling beyond Westwood into the top-right corner. The goalkeeper did well to even get his fingertips to the ball, but there was little he could do to stop it and Hull held out to secure their return to the Premier League. Mohamed Diame celebrates his goal Mamadou Sakho's green light for Euro 2016 Liverpool defender Mamadou Sakho has been handed a Euro 2016 lifeline after UEFA chose not to extend his suspension from football after a positive drugs test THE France international was provisionally banned for 30 days on April 28 after being notified by European football's governing body of an anti-doping offence relating to a test taken after March's Europa League quarter-final against Man- chester United at Old Trafford. However, UEFA have decided not to extend that suspension, which expired yesterday, as they have launched their own investigation into whether the fat-burning sub- stance the centre-back took should even be on the banned list. As a result, the case against Sakho remains on file pending those in- vestigations but with his suspen- sion lifted he is technically available for selection by national team boss Didier Deschamps, with national teams having until May 31 to sub- mit their final squads for this sum- mer's tournament in France. Sakho submitted his defence to UEFA's disciplinary committee on Monday and as part of that his le- gal team questioned whether the substance in the supplement should even be on the prohibited list given some apparent scientific evidence on its effects. Rather than set a date for a hear- ing to consider the defender's case UEFA have instead ordered their own disciplinary body to first look into whether the substance should even be on the WADA list. In a brief statement on Sakho, UEFA said: "The 30-day provisional suspension ends today. "The chairman of the control, ethics and disciplinary body decid- ed not to extend it. "The player would thus be free to play as from tomorrow. A decision on the case will be made within the next few days." Liverpool have declined to com- ment. YOUR FIRST CLICK OF THE DAY www.maltatoday.com.mt Mamadou Sakho could now make France's Euro 2016 squad