Championship play-offs: Leeds and Norwich draw 0-0. West Brom vs. Southampton is also goalless

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Leeds United’s Glen Kamara, left, vies for the ball with Norwich City’s Jonathan Rowe, during the English Football League Championship playoff, semi-final, first leg soccer match between Norwich and Leeds United, at Carrow Road, Norwich, England, Sunday May 12, 2024. In the race to secure the last promotion spot for the Premier League, Norwich and Leeds drew 0-0 in the first-leg of their Championship play-off semifinal on Sunday. (Steven Paston/PA via AP)

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Leeds United’s Crysencio Summerville shoots during the English Football League Championship playoff, semi-final, first leg soccer match between Norwich and Leeds United, at Carrow Road, Norwich, England, Sunday May 12, 2024. In the race to secure the last promotion spot for the Premier League, Norwich and Leeds drew 0-0 in the first-leg of their Championship play-off semifinal on Sunday. (Nigel French/PA via AP)

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Norwich City’s Sydney van Hooijdonk, right, reacts to a decision, during the English Football League Championship playoff, semi-final, first leg soccer match between Norwich and Leeds United, at Carrow Road, Norwich, England, Sunday May 12, 2024. In the race to secure the last promotion spot for the Premier League, Norwich and Leeds drew 0-0 in the first-leg of their Championship play-off semifinal on Sunday. (Steven Paston/PA via AP)

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Leeds United manager Daniel Farke looks on, ahead of the English Football League Championship playoff, semi-final, first leg soccer match between Norwich and Leeds United, at Carrow Road, Norwich, England, Sunday May 12, 2024. In the race to secure the last promotion spot for the Premier League, Norwich and Leeds drew 0-0 in the first-leg of their Championship play-off semifinal on Sunday. (Steven Paston/PA via AP)

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Southampton’s Adam Armstrong, left and West Bromwich Albion’s Alex Mowatt vie for the ball, during the English Football League Championship play-off, semi-final, first leg soccer match between West Bromwich Albion and Southampton, at The Hawthorns, in West Bromwich, England, Sunday May 12, 2024. (Bradley CollyerPA via AP)

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Southampton’s Taylor Harwood-Bellis, centre, attempts a header as West Bromwich Albion goalkeeper Alex Palmer tries to punch clear, during the English Football League Championship play-off, semi-final, first leg soccer match between West Bromwich Albion and Southampton, at The Hawthorns, in West Bromwich, England, Sunday May 12, 2024. (Jacob King/PA via AP)

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West Bromwich Albion’s fans reacts after Southampton goalkeeper Alex McCarthy made a save, during the English Football League Championship play-off, semi-final, first leg soccer match between West Bromwich Albion and Southampton, at The Hawthorns, in West Bromwich, England, Sunday May 12, 2024. (Jacob King/PA via AP)

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West Bromwich Albion’s Brandon Thomas-Asante, left, and Southampton’s Jan Bednarek battle for the ball during the EFL Championship play-off, semi-final, first leg match at The Hawthorns, West Bromwich, England, Sunday May 12, 2024. (Jacob King/PA via AP)

In the race to secure the last promotion spot for the Premier League there was nothing separating all four teams after first legs of the semifinals on Sunday.

Norwich and Leeds drew 0-0 at Carrow Road and that was followed by another goalless draw between West Bromwich Albion and Southampton.

Leeds host Norwich in the second leg on Thursday and Southampton is at home against West Brom the following day.

All four teams will hope they can produce more creativity and cutting edge in the second legs to secure a place in the final at Wembley on May 26.

Perhaps it was the pressure of what is at stake that led to both games being so tight.

Neither goalkeeper in the game between Norwich and Leeds was overly troubled.

Leeds finished the regular season in third place in England’s second tier on 90 points. That was 17 more than sixth-placed Norwich, but failed to show its superiority on this occasion.

Norwich had been down in 17th in November when many supporters wanted manager David Wagner sacked. Wagner survived and the man who took Huddersfield up via the play-offs in 2017 found himself pitted in the 2024 version against fellow German Daniel Farke, who had led Norwich to automatic promotion as Championship winners in 2019 and 2021.

Southampton finished fourth in the Championship, one place above West Brom.

Both Leeds and Southampton are aiming to make an immediate return to the top flight after being relegated last season.

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AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer