LOS ANGELES, United States, (AFP) – The Philadelphia Eagles steamrollered the injury-hit San Francisco 49ers 31-7 to book their place in the Super Bowl on Sunday.

The Eagles sealed the franchise's fourth Super Bowl appearance -- and second in five years -- with an emphatic victory in the NFC Championship game at Lincoln Financial Field.

"I've dreamed about this, and all the guys on this team have dreamt about this their entire lives," Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni said afterwards.

"To be able to do this together with a bunch of men that love each other, that are connected to each other and would do anything for each other -- it's pretty sweet."

The 49ers' hopes of victory were upended after a disastrous first half that saw starting quarterback Brock Purdy -- himself the team's third choice signal-caller -- injured on the team's opening drive.

Back-up Josh Johnson -- the fourth choice Niners quarterback -- also departed injured in the third quarter.

"I was real proud of how they fought out there," 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan said. "Thought they got dealt a pretty tough hand today. I'm just hurting for those guys."

The defeat was another bitter playoff disappointment for Shanahan, who saw his side beaten in the Super Bowl in the 2019-2021 campaign before losing in the NFC Championship game last season.

"Losing feels awful," Shanahan said. "This one was a lot harder."

All of Philadelphia's touchdowns came via their ground game, with running back Miles Sanders scoring twice, Boston Scott adding a third before quarterback Jalen Hurts burrowed over in the third quarter.

The Eagles piled up 148 rushing yards throughout from 44 carries.

Philadelphia will play the winner of Sunday's AFC Championship game between Kansas City and Cincinnati in the February 12 Super Bowl in Arizona.

San Francisco had entered Sunday's NFC decider on the back of 12 straight victories and were seen throughout the playoffs as the biggest threat to Philadelphia's hopes of reaching the Super Bowl.

However the 49ers' dreams of returning to the NFL showpiece once more shrivelled as injuries and a litany of rash penalties took their toll.

The tone was set early on when Philadelphia receiver DeVonta Smith made what looked like an extraordinary one-handed grab on a fourth down conversion.

Los Angeles, United States | AFP | Monday 1/29/2023 - 19:12 UTC-5 | 675 words

ADDS QUOTES, DETAIL

The Philadelphia Eagles steamrollered the injury-hit San Francisco 49ers 31-7 to book their place in the Super Bowl on Sunday.

The Eagles sealed the franchise's fourth Super Bowl appearance -- and second in five years -- with an emphatic victory in the NFC Championship game at Lincoln Financial Field.

"I've dreamed about this, and all the guys on this team have dreamt about this their entire lives," Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni said afterwards.

"To be able to do this together with a bunch of men that love each other, that are connected to each other and would do anything for each other -- it's pretty sweet."

The 49ers' hopes of victory were upended after a disastrous first half that saw starting quarterback Brock Purdy -- himself the team's third choice signal-caller -- injured on the team's opening drive.

Back-up Josh Johnson -- the fourth choice Niners quarterback -- also departed injured in the third quarter.

"I was real proud of how they fought out there," 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan said. "Thought they got dealt a pretty tough hand today. I'm just hurting for those guys."

The defeat was another bitter playoff disappointment for Shanahan, who saw his side beaten in the Super Bowl in the 2019-2021 campaign before losing in the NFC Championship game last season.

"Losing feels awful," Shanahan said. "This one was a lot harder."

All of Philadelphia's touchdowns came via their ground game, with running back Miles Sanders scoring twice, Boston Scott adding a third before quarterback Jalen Hurts burrowed over in the third quarter.

The Eagles piled up 148 rushing yards throughout from 44 carries.

Philadelphia will play the winner of Sunday's AFC Championship game between Kansas City and Cincinnati in the February 12 Super Bowl in Arizona.

San Francisco had entered Sunday's NFC decider on the back of 12 straight victories and were seen throughout the playoffs as the biggest threat to Philadelphia's hopes of reaching the Super Bowl.

However the 49ers' dreams of returning to the NFL showpiece once more shrivelled as injuries and a litany of rash penalties took their toll.

The tone was set early on when Philadelphia receiver DeVonta Smith made what looked like an extraordinary one-handed grab on a fourth down conversion.