OXFORD United fans are still trying to catch their breath following last night's nail-biting penalty shoot-out victory over Portsmouth.

The U's won 5-4 on spot-kicks to book their place at Wembley after the Sky Bet League One play-off semi-final second leg finished 1-1 after extra time and 2-2 on aggregate.

They will now face Wycombe Wanderers in Monday's final for a chance to reach the Championship for the first time since 1999. 

In an emotional post-match interview, boss Karl Robinson dedicated the victory to U's supporters who were forced to stay away from the behind closed doors game.

Karl Robinson: "That was for the fans"

He said: "For the Oxford fans at home, that was for you. Celebrate in your gardens, sadly they can’t be at Wembley with us."

Supporters were put through the wringer for more than two hours, with the sides closely-matched throughout.

While fans were not allowed at the Kassam Stadium, the U's did their best to make the players feel at home with hundreds of cut-outs and a display of flags and banners.

Report: Oxford United reach Wembley after dramatic shoot-out win

United's independent supporters' trust OxVox was involved in both initiatives and chairman Paul Peros felt it made a difference on a nerve-wracking evening.

"It was absolutely an ordeal," he said.

"Football's about the people around you and the club did a really good job of connecting fans.

"It felt like everybody was going through it together.

"It was incredibly painful, but in the end we muscled our way through and it was brilliant."

OxVox hopes to recreate the display at Wembley in six days' time, while other ideas are in the pipeline for the showpiece fixture.

Pictures: The best photos from last night's game

Fans tuned in from across the world for two tense games and were rewarded when Cameron Brannagan dispatched the winning penalty to spark wild scenes among players and staff.

Dave Symmons was watching in Malahide, Ireland, and was delighted to see the U's pull through.

He said: "I felt nervous before the game and wasn't overly confident. I felt we were lacking pace out wide in particular or an outlet, especially with no Nathan Holland (who returned to West Ham United before the play-offs).

"The nerves were there throughout the game and to be fair Pompey did not get much luck. They gave us a serious test over the two legs.

"I did not know what way the shootout would go but over the moon when Brannagan scored!"

Meanwhile, OxFox wrote on the Oxford Mail website: "So proud. Fantastic effort boys following from Argentina!! Enjoy the day out at Wembley and let's give it one more go for promotion!!"

Peter Davies added: "What an unbelievable effort by the boys! My heart must have been doing 200 beats a minute during the whole game! Proud of the team."

Yesterday's game came more than 11 months after United began the 2019/20 season with a 1-1 draw at Sunderland.

It was only their second match back after a 118-day break after the EFL season was suspended due to the coronavirus pandemic.  

Another user, Kregal, said: "If you told me last August when we were beaten 2-4 at home by Burton that almost a year later we would be in the play-off final, I would have said the chances of that are about the same as pubs shutting for three months and the country going in to lockdown."

DancingAndy added: "Really pleased for the club, players and management.

"It was nail-biting stuff and hard on both sides, to be asked to perform at your best in such a surreal environment. Now let's do it at Wembley!"