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*Cardiff win 4-3 on penalties
Cardiff advanced to the Championship play-off final against Blackpool at Wembley after a penalty shoot-out win.Goalkeeper David Marshall was Cardiff's penalty hero saving twice as the Bluebirds beat Leicester 4-3 on spot-kicks after a 3-3 aggregate draw.
Michael Chopra struck first before Matt Fryatt, a Mark Hudson own goal and Andy King put Leicester ahead overall.
Peter Whittingham's penalty levelled it before Leicester's Yann Kermorgant and Martyn Waghorn missed in the shoot-out.
Bruno Berner, Steve Howard and Nolberto Solano had scored in the penalty shoot-out for the Foxes while Michael Chopra, Ross McCormack and Joe Ledley had kept their cool for Cardiff.
But Kermorgant was Leicester's villain as the French 28-year-old chose the wrong time to try a cheeky chip, Marshall standing tall to save.
Mark Kennedy fired in from 12 yards for the Bluebirds before Scottish international Marshall kept out Waghorn to leave Cardiff 90 minutes from the Premier League and an estimated £90m jackpot.
The Bluebirds will hope to end their 48-year top-flight exile against Blackpool - relegated from the old Division One in 1971 - at Wembley on 22 May and play a side that has also not starred in the Premier League since its inception in 1992.
Cardiff secured promotion from League One in 2003 after beating Ian Holloway's Queens Park Rangers 1-0 at the Millennium Stadium and now must beat Holloway's new club if the cash-strapped Bluebirds, in English football's lowest division just 12 years ago, are to secure promotion and wipe out their £15m debts.
It was the first time Leicester had lost a Championship play-off semi-final after succeeding in their previous four attempts, last year's League One champions denied in the cruellest fashion after a thrilling clash in the Welsh capital.
Whittingham was Cardiff's goal hero from the 1-0 first-leg triumph at the Walkers Stadium and the in-form winger should have added to his 24 goals this season inside four minutes.
Chopra's beautifully weighted pass took out covering Leicester defender Solano for Whittingham to sprint onto, but the former England under-21 international dragged his shot wide when one-on-one with visiting keeper Chris Weale.
Whittingham's wonder goal on Sunday was the toast of the Welsh capital and he went close with another free-kick, but Weale saw this 20-yard effort all the way and easily kept the shot out.
Whittingham and Jay Bothroyd went close but the Bluebirds' attacking philosophy paid off in the 21st minute when Cardiff punished the visitors for showing too much respect as Chopra pounced on Jay Bothroyd's flick from a straight-forward long ball.
The former Newcastle striker showed the predatory instincts he distinctly lacked in the first-leg to slide the ball under Weale for his 20th goal of the season - but just his third in four months.
Cardiff seemed as though they were cantering into a Wembley finale with Blackpool a week on Saturday until Matty Fryatt's first goal of 2010 three minutes later threw the tie wide open.
Fryatt's neat one-two with targetman Steve Howard, back in after suspension, ended with the former - making his first start for three months after jaw surgery - firing his 13th goal this season under Cardiff keeper Marshall.
Fryatt's strike against the run of play inspired a spell of Leicester domination that culminated in a second Leicester goal - and it was big-man Howard who created the danger.
He was allowed a free header and his flick from Alex Bruce's long free-kick inadvertently hit Hudson's head, which wrong-footed Marshall and nestled in the left corner of his net.
Generous Cardiff defending had helped Leicester and Dave Jones' half-time Cardiff team-talk clearly fell on deaf ears as slack marking allowed the Foxes a third.
Paul Gallagher was allowed two opportunities to cross and the latter found King's head as Leicester's Welshman's 11th goal of the season put his club ahead in the tie for the first time.
Cardiff's superb start seemed a world away as Leicester began to control the tie for the first time as the Welsh club, who had the worst home record in the Championship's top six, had conceded three at their new home for the first, and worst, time.
The Cardiff City Stadium's biggest crowd watched in horror as their team again failed to deal with a routine corner as Leicester skipper Jack Hobbs' header was diverted goal-wards by King.
The hosts had Whittingham to thank as he hooked the effort off the line.
Cardiff minds flashed back to Chopra's double miss in the first-leg and Ross McCormack's squandered one-on-one at the Walkers Stadium, not forgetting Whittingham's early second-leg howler as Dave Jones' men looked to be rueing missed opportunities.
Cardiff suffered second-leg play-off agony in 2002 when Stoke City recovered from a first-leg defeat to qualify for the final after a 2-0 win at Ninian Park - and Bluebirds fans feared déjà vu.
But World Cup referee Howard Webb handed the hosts a lifeline when he awarded Cardiff a penalty in the 69th minute as Alex Bruce bundled over Chopra after the striker dashed onto Mark Kennedy's ball.
And Whittingham, hero at the other end just minutes earlier, kept his nerve to fire in his 25th goal of the season straight down the middle of the goal past helpless Weale to level the tie overall.
Bothroyd came within a lick of paint of levelling the game two minutes later as the superb targetman skipped past three defenders to crack Weale's crossbar.
Cardiff once again began to asset pressure in this pulsating encounter and Chopra thought he had won it with 12 minutes remaining as he controlled Whittingham's ball before striking goal-wards - but club player of the year Hobbs was in position to clear off the line.
The hosts hit the bar again - and the woodwork a Championship record 29 times this season - as Whittingham fired over the wall and crashed a free-kick against Leicester's goal frame.
A wonder save from Marshall in the first leg ensured Cardiff kept their one-goal advantage at the Walkers Stadium and another top-class stop from Howard's half-volley at point-blank range in the dying minutes rescued his side.
Ross McCormack's 30-yard shot tested Weale before the Cardiff substitute called for a penalty when his fizzing free-kick was handled by Solano, but experienced referee Webb ignored the protests.
Chopra and on-loan Manchester City striker Kelvin Etuhu, on for the injured Whittingham, went close in an understandably tense extra-time before penalties settled it.
Leicester manager Nigel Pearson:"It's tough on the players. Our performance epitomises their commitment, desire and application.
"There are a lot of disappointed players in there but we have achieved a lot in our first season in the Championship.
"I'm going to leave them with their own thoughts; it is a difficult thing for the players to deal with. It is a difficult way to go out.
"Once you get to these play-offs you have got to make sure you give yourself the best chance of getting through.
"There is no doubt that over the two hours of football the players have been exceptionally good and the commitment and application has been excellent.
"When you hear them celebrating it is a case of what could have been and that is difficult to get over at this time.
"They were better than us in the penalty shoot-out. May the best team win in the final."
Leicester01 Weale15 Berner25 Hobbs33 Bruce yellow card07 Solano yellow card10 King yellow card11 Dyer yellow card (Waghorn 72)19 Wellens yellow card09 Howard yellow card12 Fryatt (Kermorgant 97)24 Gallagher (Spearing 72)Substitutes13 Logan,04 Morrison,34 Spearing,17 N'Guessan,18 Waghorn,22 Kermorgant,27 VaughanRef: WebbAtt: 26,033LEICESTERPossessionCardiff 56%Leicester 44%Attempts on targetCardiff 11Leicester 8Attempts off targetCardiff 9Leicester 3CornersCardiff 7Leicester 7FoulsCardiff 16Leicester 23
This article is from the BBC News website. ? British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.
Cardiff advanced to the Championship play-off final against Blackpool at Wembley after a penalty shoot-out win.Goalkeeper David Marshall was Cardiff's penalty hero saving twice as the Bluebirds beat Leicester 4-3 on spot-kicks after a 3-3 aggregate draw.
Michael Chopra struck first before Matt Fryatt, a Mark Hudson own goal and Andy King put Leicester ahead overall.
Peter Whittingham's penalty levelled it before Leicester's Yann Kermorgant and Martyn Waghorn missed in the shoot-out.
Bruno Berner, Steve Howard and Nolberto Solano had scored in the penalty shoot-out for the Foxes while Michael Chopra, Ross McCormack and Joe Ledley had kept their cool for Cardiff.
But Kermorgant was Leicester's villain as the French 28-year-old chose the wrong time to try a cheeky chip, Marshall standing tall to save.
Mark Kennedy fired in from 12 yards for the Bluebirds before Scottish international Marshall kept out Waghorn to leave Cardiff 90 minutes from the Premier League and an estimated £90m jackpot.
The Bluebirds will hope to end their 48-year top-flight exile against Blackpool - relegated from the old Division One in 1971 - at Wembley on 22 May and play a side that has also not starred in the Premier League since its inception in 1992.
Cardiff secured promotion from League One in 2003 after beating Ian Holloway's Queens Park Rangers 1-0 at the Millennium Stadium and now must beat Holloway's new club if the cash-strapped Bluebirds, in English football's lowest division just 12 years ago, are to secure promotion and wipe out their £15m debts.
It was the first time Leicester had lost a Championship play-off semi-final after succeeding in their previous four attempts, last year's League One champions denied in the cruellest fashion after a thrilling clash in the Welsh capital.
Whittingham was Cardiff's goal hero from the 1-0 first-leg triumph at the Walkers Stadium and the in-form winger should have added to his 24 goals this season inside four minutes.
Chopra's beautifully weighted pass took out covering Leicester defender Solano for Whittingham to sprint onto, but the former England under-21 international dragged his shot wide when one-on-one with visiting keeper Chris Weale.
Whittingham's wonder goal on Sunday was the toast of the Welsh capital and he went close with another free-kick, but Weale saw this 20-yard effort all the way and easily kept the shot out.
Whittingham and Jay Bothroyd went close but the Bluebirds' attacking philosophy paid off in the 21st minute when Cardiff punished the visitors for showing too much respect as Chopra pounced on Jay Bothroyd's flick from a straight-forward long ball.
The former Newcastle striker showed the predatory instincts he distinctly lacked in the first-leg to slide the ball under Weale for his 20th goal of the season - but just his third in four months.
Cardiff seemed as though they were cantering into a Wembley finale with Blackpool a week on Saturday until Matty Fryatt's first goal of 2010 three minutes later threw the tie wide open.
Fryatt's neat one-two with targetman Steve Howard, back in after suspension, ended with the former - making his first start for three months after jaw surgery - firing his 13th goal this season under Cardiff keeper Marshall.
Fryatt's strike against the run of play inspired a spell of Leicester domination that culminated in a second Leicester goal - and it was big-man Howard who created the danger.
He was allowed a free header and his flick from Alex Bruce's long free-kick inadvertently hit Hudson's head, which wrong-footed Marshall and nestled in the left corner of his net.
Generous Cardiff defending had helped Leicester and Dave Jones' half-time Cardiff team-talk clearly fell on deaf ears as slack marking allowed the Foxes a third.
Paul Gallagher was allowed two opportunities to cross and the latter found King's head as Leicester's Welshman's 11th goal of the season put his club ahead in the tie for the first time.
Cardiff's superb start seemed a world away as Leicester began to control the tie for the first time as the Welsh club, who had the worst home record in the Championship's top six, had conceded three at their new home for the first, and worst, time.
The Cardiff City Stadium's biggest crowd watched in horror as their team again failed to deal with a routine corner as Leicester skipper Jack Hobbs' header was diverted goal-wards by King.
The hosts had Whittingham to thank as he hooked the effort off the line.
Cardiff minds flashed back to Chopra's double miss in the first-leg and Ross McCormack's squandered one-on-one at the Walkers Stadium, not forgetting Whittingham's early second-leg howler as Dave Jones' men looked to be rueing missed opportunities.
Cardiff suffered second-leg play-off agony in 2002 when Stoke City recovered from a first-leg defeat to qualify for the final after a 2-0 win at Ninian Park - and Bluebirds fans feared déjà vu.
But World Cup referee Howard Webb handed the hosts a lifeline when he awarded Cardiff a penalty in the 69th minute as Alex Bruce bundled over Chopra after the striker dashed onto Mark Kennedy's ball.
And Whittingham, hero at the other end just minutes earlier, kept his nerve to fire in his 25th goal of the season straight down the middle of the goal past helpless Weale to level the tie overall.
Bothroyd came within a lick of paint of levelling the game two minutes later as the superb targetman skipped past three defenders to crack Weale's crossbar.
Cardiff once again began to asset pressure in this pulsating encounter and Chopra thought he had won it with 12 minutes remaining as he controlled Whittingham's ball before striking goal-wards - but club player of the year Hobbs was in position to clear off the line.
The hosts hit the bar again - and the woodwork a Championship record 29 times this season - as Whittingham fired over the wall and crashed a free-kick against Leicester's goal frame.
A wonder save from Marshall in the first leg ensured Cardiff kept their one-goal advantage at the Walkers Stadium and another top-class stop from Howard's half-volley at point-blank range in the dying minutes rescued his side.
Ross McCormack's 30-yard shot tested Weale before the Cardiff substitute called for a penalty when his fizzing free-kick was handled by Solano, but experienced referee Webb ignored the protests.
Chopra and on-loan Manchester City striker Kelvin Etuhu, on for the injured Whittingham, went close in an understandably tense extra-time before penalties settled it.
Leicester manager Nigel Pearson:"It's tough on the players. Our performance epitomises their commitment, desire and application.
"There are a lot of disappointed players in there but we have achieved a lot in our first season in the Championship.
"I'm going to leave them with their own thoughts; it is a difficult thing for the players to deal with. It is a difficult way to go out.
"Once you get to these play-offs you have got to make sure you give yourself the best chance of getting through.
"There is no doubt that over the two hours of football the players have been exceptionally good and the commitment and application has been excellent.
"When you hear them celebrating it is a case of what could have been and that is difficult to get over at this time.
"They were better than us in the penalty shoot-out. May the best team win in the final."
Leicester01 Weale15 Berner25 Hobbs33 Bruce yellow card07 Solano yellow card10 King yellow card11 Dyer yellow card (Waghorn 72)19 Wellens yellow card09 Howard yellow card12 Fryatt (Kermorgant 97)24 Gallagher (Spearing 72)Substitutes13 Logan,04 Morrison,34 Spearing,17 N'Guessan,18 Waghorn,22 Kermorgant,27 VaughanRef: WebbAtt: 26,033LEICESTERPossessionCardiff 56%Leicester 44%Attempts on targetCardiff 11Leicester 8Attempts off targetCardiff 9Leicester 3CornersCardiff 7Leicester 7FoulsCardiff 16Leicester 23
This article is from the BBC News website. ? British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.