Soccer-Fulham smash seven past Luton to win Championship title in style

LONDON -Fulham were in seventh heaven as they sealed the second-tier Championship title with a 7-0 win over Luton Town on Monday, giving them an unassailable lead at the top of the standings with a game to spare.

Fulham had already sealed promotion to the top flight Premier League last month after they were guaranteed a top-two finish.

The full-time whistle was followed by a pitch invasion at Craven Cottage as selfie-hunting fans mobbed the players before they were ushered off for the trophy presentation.

The London club also became the first team in two decades to score more than a 100 goals (106) in a single season in the second tier as six different players found the back of the net against Luton.

Fulham were led by a brace from Serbian striker and top scorer Aleksandar Mitrovic, who has now scored 43 goals in 43 games this season — a record for the division since the Premier League was founded in 1992.

“To do it at home in front of your fans, to be champions of the league — no matter whatever league, whatever standard — that lives forever,” said Tom Cairney, who scored the opener which was also Fulham’s 100th goal of the season.

“We create a hell of a lot of chances… It also tells you about a person (Mitrovic) who is a special talent — 43 Championship goals is astounding. He deserves all the plaudits, he’s a top, top striker.”

Fulham will finish their season with a trip to fifth-placed Sheffield United on Saturday. The result leaves Luton in sixth and final playoff spot, level with United on 72 points and two points above Middlesbrough.

Second-placed Bournemouth (82 points from 44 games), third-placed Nottingham Forest (79 points from 44 games) and fourth-placed Huddersfield Town (79 points from 45 games) are vying for the second automatic promotion spot.

Promotion is worth up to $240 million, according to last year’s Deloitte Annual Review of Football Finance. Teams that finish third to sixth go into the playoffs to fight for the final promotion spot.