WBA, Saints play out goalless draw in Championship playoff

West Bromwich Albion and Southampton played out a goalless draw in the first leg of their Championship playoff semifinal on Sunday, the second 0-0 result of the day after Norwich City held Leeds United in the other semifinal tie.

Southampton will host West Brom in the second leg on Friday.

"Both teams had good chances, unfortunately we couldn't take them but we gave ourselves something to play off in the next leg," West Brom winger Tom Fellows told Sky Sports.

Fellows had delivered a cross from the right into the Southampton box after the half-hour mark that was headed down by Grady Diangana, but goalkeeper Alex McCarthy kept it out with a quick dive to the right.

The visitors could have broken through just before the break when Joe Aribo crossed from the left but Adam Armstrong headed the ball over the net.

West Brom came close again at the hour mark with Mikey Johnston's cross reaching Darnell Furlong whose hurried attempt from close range missed the near post by inches.

Diangana had another chance to get past McCarthy in the 78th minute when Fellows crossed to him again, but he shot straight at the Southampton goalkeeper who dropped down to make the save.

Southampton immediately countered but West Brom goalkeeper Alex Palmer kept out Ross Stewart's deflected shot with his legs to deny the visitors a late strike.

"That's what we train for. You have got to stay ready, stay concentrated and that's my job," Palmer said. "It was a tight game ... like cat and mouse."