Millwall Regain Second Spot in Championship with Convincing Win Over QPR

A blistering start from Millwall set the tone for their 2-0 Sky Bet Championship win over QPR, lifting them back into second place in the table. The Lions had seen their promotion push stall with only one win from their previous five games, but goals from Derek Mazou-Sacko and Camiel Neghli in the early stages of the match ensured they controlled the London derby from the outset. Alex Neil's side now sit one point above Ipswich, who are set to host fellow promotion hopefuls Middlesbrough on Sunday, as the battle for a spot in the Premier League next season intensifies. Millwall took the lead after just three minutes when Mazou-Sacko capitalized on a loose ball to score his first goal for the club, powering a fine finish past QPR goalkeeper Joe Walsh from outside the area. The hosts continued to dominate, with Neghli doubling their lead in the 17th minute with a beautifully crafted shot into the far corner. Despite a relentless opening quarter, Millwall failed to add to their tally in the first half, with Neghli and Josh Coburn both coming close. QPR made four half-time substitutions in an attempt to alter the course of the game, and although they created more chances in the second half, including a low shot from Ilias Chair that went wide, they were unable to breach the Millwall defense. The Lions came close to a third goal when Coburn met Femi Azeez's cross, but Walsh made a spectacular save with his legs. It wasn't until the 89th minute that QPR registered their first shot on target, with Nikolas Madsen's effort from 25 yards kept out by Millwall goalkeeper Anthony Patterson. Millwall manager Alex Neil reflected on the match, stating, 'I thought we needed to start fast. We needed to get the fans onside, we needed to be aggressive, we needed to try and pin them in, sustain pressure.' QPR boss Julien Stephan acknowledged his team's lack of intensity in the first half, saying, 'The way how we came on the pitch and the lack of intensity in the first half, I think we struggled a lot and it was not a surprise to see the intensity of how they started the game.'