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Kazenga LuaLua brace confirms Wolverhampton Wanderers relegation

Wolverhampton Wanderers are relegated from the Championship after a final-day defeat at Brighton & Hove Albion.

A first-half brace from Brighton & Hove Albion's Kazenga LuaLua this afternoon confirmed that Wolverhampton Wanderers will play in League One next season.

Wolves did make a bright start to the match as Bakary Sako struck the post with a fierce drive from 20 yards inside five minutes, with the visitors showing urgency given their plight.

Brighton's Kazenga LuaLua celebrates scoring against Wolverhampton Wanderers during the final day of the Championship season on May 4, 2013© Gareth Fuller / PA Photos

Brighton responded quickly and took the lead with their first meaningful attack of the match.

LuaLua drove forward and shifted inside under little pressure, before smashing a precise low shot into the bottom right corner from distance.

The visitors responded quickly and thought they were level as a Sako corner nearly caught Tomaz Kuszczak by surprise at his near post.

Sako appealed that the ball had crossed the line but the referee's assistant disagreed as Wolves were frustrated in their search for a quick equaliser.

Brighton doubled their advantage just before the break as LuaLua beat Dorus de Vries for a second time as he slotted home with an assured left-footed finish.

Wolves swapped Sako for Stephen Hunt and quickly went agonisingly close to reducing the deficit.

Jamie O'Hara picked out Matt Doherty with a curling free kick, but the full-back managed to miss the target with his header from three yards.

Leonardo Ulloa and Vicente went close late on as Brighton closed out an impressive display infront of a record crowd at the Amex, securing fourth place ahead of the playoffs.

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