Former Stoke City manager Alex Neil watched as Millwall surged back into the Championship’s top two and secured a play‑off berth with a convincing 3‑1 victory at the bet365 Stadium. The London side took the initiative early in the first half when Camiel Neghli found the back of the net, giving Millwall a 1‑0 lead. The advantage was doubled midway through the second half when forward Femi Azeez, who has already struck nine league goals this campaign, tapped in from close range to make it 2‑0 after 55 minutes. Stoke’s hopes were briefly revived when defender Caleb Taylor inadvertently turned the ball into his own net on the hour mark, momentarily unsettling Neil’s squad.
However, the visitors restored their dominance just nine minutes later when Josh Coburn seized on a defensive lapse and fired home his own strike, sealing the three points for Millwall. The win pushed Millwall three points clear of third‑placed Ipswich Town, who will travel to Charlton Athletic on Wednesday in their own pursuit of a top‑two finish. Stoke City, whose early‑season promise has faded dramatically – they have managed only two victories in their last ten fixtures – were forced to hand first‑team debuts to academy prospects Pijus Otegbayo and 18‑year‑old defender Syd Agina. The Potters almost claimed an early lead in the 12th minute when goalkeeper Anthony Patterson, making his first start since the start of the year, parried a powerful shot from Robert Bozenik.
Millwall responded quickly, with Josh Coburn missing an early chance after a tempting cross from Tristan Crama, before the Sky Sports app prompted fans to follow the action live. Neghli, however, demonstrated his finishing prowess just 20 minutes into the match, scoring his second consecutive goal. A clever left‑wing pass from Zak Sturge floated into the box, and when Millwall defender Eric Bocat failed to clear it cleanly, Neghli unleashed a curling left‑foot drive that flew past the goalkeeper. Four minutes later Millwall could have doubled their lead, but Neghli’s assist to Coburn was met with a miss from just seven yards out.
Shortly before the break, a misplaced pass from Crama created a chance for Lewis Baker, but on‑loan Sunderland keeper Patterson was equal to the task, denying the City skipper’s long‑range effort. In the 48th minute Patterson was beaten, yet his right‑hand upright saved a volley from Tatsuki Seko after Millwall failed to clear a corner taken by Baker. Stoke continued to press, and Patterson again intervened to deny a powerful strike from Millwall’s forward Manhoef. The travelling contingent of 1,302 Millwall supporters breathed a sigh of relief when Azeez doubled the Lions’ advantage.
The winger collected the ball just outside the penalty area and unleashed a ferocious left‑foot shot that left Stoke goalkeeper Gavin Bazunu with no chance. Stoke answered immediately, benefitting from a slice of luck. Substitute Lamine Cissé, on his first touch, flicked the ball into the six‑yard box, and an inadvertent touch from Taylor wrong‑footed Patterson, allowing the ball to ricochet dangerously. Nevertheless, Coburn restored order, scoring his third of the night after Bocat’s errant clearance fell to Neghli, who slotted his tenth league goal.
After the match, Neil expressed his frustration with the team’s recent performances, stating, “I am sick of teams who come here and look ordinary and take the points. This is a team going for automatic promotion so it gives me loads of food for thought.
It has been poor for a while. Summer can’t come soon enough, that’s for sure. There are too many at the moment choosing not to give everything. I have got plenty to do.
It was not good enough so you have to change things and change the way you go about it. It is a season that promised so much at the start and has delivered nothing. It is really difficult to get excited about. In the interim we have had decent performances in a season that hasn't panned out to the level we wanted it to.” Reflecting on the broader picture, Neil added, “We will fight to the end and see where it takes us.
It is the biggest achievement the club has had in the last 24 or 25 years and we still have two games to play. We have our eye on what the next two games look like. We need to try and win those games and let's see what happens elsewhere.
The fact we are in the fight for automatic promotion is an incredible achievement for this team, this club and everyone connected with it. If we end up in the play‑offs we will give it our best shot.
There is so much to like about this team and I'm privileged I have this opportunity to coach them. For us to be on 79 points – Millwall’s second‑highest second‑tier tally – with two games remaining has been a dream season for us in terms of what our expectations would have been.” The victory not only solidified Millwall’s position near the summit of the Championship but also underscored the stark contrast between their upward trajectory and Stoke’s mounting struggles.
While Millwall look set to challenge for automatic promotion, Stoke must regroup quickly to avoid slipping further down the table as the season draws to a close. The match also featured a promotional tie‑in, with a £250,000 Super 6 prize on offer, free to enter until 3 pm on Saturday, adding an extra layer of excitement for fans following the competition.