Millwall Regain Second Place in Championship with 2-0 Win Over QPR

Millwall's blistering start propelled them to a 2-0 victory over QPR in the Sky Bet Championship, lifting them back into second place in the table. A win had eluded them in their previous five games, stalling their promotion push, but early strikes from Derek Mazou-Sacko and Camiel Neghli allowed them to dominate the London derby from the outset. Alex Neil's side now sit one point above Ipswich, who face Middlesbrough on Sunday, as the battle for Premier League promotion heats up. Millwall took the lead after just three minutes when Mazou-Sacko capitalized on a loose ball to score his first goal for the club, easing the nerves of the home supporters who had witnessed their team lose their last two home games. The hosts continued to press, with Tristan Crama heading over from a cross, before Neghli doubled their lead with a beautifully crafted shot into the far corner. Millwall's relentless pressure yielded further chances, including Josh Coburn's header being tipped over and Zak Sturge shooting into the side netting. QPR made four half-time substitutions, and although they created the first chance of the second half through Rumarn Burrell, Millwall remained in control. Ilias Chair, returning from injury, came close to reducing the deficit with a low shot from outside the area. Millwall nearly sealed a third goal when Coburn met a cross, but QPR goalkeeper Joe Walsh made a crucial save with his legs. It wasn't until the 89th minute that QPR registered a shot on target, with Nikolas Madsen's effort being kept out by Millwall's Anthony Patterson. Alex Neil praised his team's aggressive start, stating, 'We needed to get the fans onside, we needed to be aggressive, we needed to try and pin them in, sustain pressure.' QPR's Julien Stephan acknowledged his team's lack of intensity in the first half, saying, 'We struggled a lot and it was not a surprise to see the intensity of how they started the game.'