Millwall's Hopes of Automatic Promotion Take a Hit with Loss to Norwich

Substitute Oscar Schwartau scored the winning goal as Norwich defeated Millwall 2-1, giving their rivals Ipswich a significant boost in the automatic promotion race. Millwall, who began the day in second place, took the lead through Mihailo Ivanovic after half-time but were undone by a stunning long-range effort from Pelle Mattsson and Schwartau's decisive strike. Norwich, with seven wins from their last nine away league matches, remain in the hunt for a play-off spot. The visitors started strongly, with Anis Ben Slimane and Mathias Kvistgaarden testing Millwall's defense. When Slimane broke through, his shot was comfortably saved by goalkeeper Anthony Patterson. Norwich had two golden opportunities to open the scoring, but Jack Stacey dragged his shot wide and Kenny McLean failed to convert Ali Ahmed's cross. Millwall's first half was lackluster, with their only threats coming from Femi Azeez and Tristan Crama. The introduction of Ivanovic at half-time paid off for Millwall, as he headed home from close range. However, Norwich equalized through Mattsson's powerful strike before Schwartau sealed the win with a simple finish. Millwall manager Alex Neil attributed the defeat to a lack of energy in midfield, while Norwich boss Philippe Clement hailed his team's performance as their best of the season.