Mohamed Belloumi turned frustration into jubilation for Hull City as his second-half cameo propelled the Tigers to a 2-0 victory over Millwall in the Championship play-off semi-final second leg. The Algerian winger, introduced just before half-time due to an injury to Kyle Joseph, scored a stunning curling strike and provided an assist for Joe Gelhardt to seal the win, booking a Wembley final on 23 May.
Belloumi's introduction was far from smooth. As he entered the pitch, he delayed the restart by tying his boot laces, drawing visible irritation from manager Sergej Jakirovic. But within 50 minutes, the 23-year-old had erased any displeasure with a performance that left his teammates and coaches in awe.
His goal, a superb curling effort from the edge of the box, ended a two-and-a-half-hour goal drought in the semi-final and swung the tie in Hull's favor. He then won the ball back in his own half, drove forward, and laid it on a plate for Gelhardt, who had just come on, to double the lead.
Belloumi's path to this moment has been fraught with obstacles. After joining Hull from Portuguese club Farense in August 2024, he suffered an anterior cruciate ligament injury in November of that year, ending his season. His return was further hampered by two hamstring injuries this campaign, limiting him to just 10 league starts.
Jakirovic explained that Belloumi started on the bench because of fatigue in both hamstrings and his Achilles, having been unable to train since the first leg. "The plan was to give him the second half," said the manager. "It was a great substitution. Now I am very smart; if they do nothing, I am stupid."
Striker Oli McBurnie praised Belloumi's talent: "Mo's brilliant. He can be whatever he wants to be." Skipper Lewie Coyle highlighted the player's resilience and the recovery team's role: "He's had an incredibly tough injury, but it says a lot about him and the medical staff that he's come back as he has."
The victory marks a triumphant first season in England for Jakirovic, who took over a club under a transfer fee restriction after late payments to other clubs. Despite winning titles in Bosnia and Croatia and managing in the Champions League, he called reaching the play-off final "maybe the biggest achievement in my life."
Hull will face either Southampton or Middlesbrough at Wembley for a place in the Premier League. Belloumi's heroics have given the Tigers a powerful weapon off the bench, and his ability to turn adversity into excellence could be decisive on the biggest stage.
Based on reporting from BBC Sport.