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 3-1 victory at the bet365 Stadium. The London side took the initiative early, with Camiel Neghli opening the scoring and giving the Lions a first‑half lead. Femi Azeez, who has already found the net nine times this campaign, doubled the advantage after 55 minutes, making it 2-0. A mishap from Stoke’s Caleb Taylor, who inadvertently put the ball into his own net on the hour‑mark, forced the hosts to tighten their defence, but Josh Coburn sealed the win with a decisive strike in the 69th minute, capitalising on a lapse in the home side’s back line.
Millwall’s three‑point gain lifted them three points clear of third‑placed Ipswich Town, who are set to travel to Charlton Athletic on Wednesday. Stoke, whose early‑season promise has rapidly faded – they have managed just two wins in their last ten fixtures – handed first‑team debuts to academy prospects Pijus Otegbayo and 18‑year‑old defender Syd Agina. The Potters almost seized an early lead in the 12th minute when goalkeeper Anthony Patterson, making his first start since the start of the year, denied a low drive from Robert Bozenik.
Millwall responded quickly, though Josh Coburn missed an early chance after a well‑timed cross from Tristan Crama. Neghli, however, demonstrated his finishing prowess twenty minutes into the match, scoring his second consecutive goal. The opportunity came from a clever left‑footed centre by Zak Sturge, and when Millwall defender Eric Bocat failed to clear the ball cleanly, Neghli curled a superb rising left‑foot strike into the net.
Four minutes later, Neghli set up a chance for Coburn, who struck the ball over from seven yards. Just before the half‑hour, a misplaced pass from Crama found Lewis Baker in space, but the on‑loan Sunderland keeper Patterson saved a long‑range effort.
The second half began with Patterson again keeping Millwall at bay, denying a volley from Tatsuki Seko after a corner from Baker was poorly cleared. Stoke continued to press, and Patterson made another crucial save to deny striker Million Manhoef. The travelling Millwall supporters, numbering 1,302, breathed a sigh of relief when Azeez doubled the lead.
The winger collected a pass just outside the penalty area and unleashed a powerful left‑foot shot that left Stoke goalkeeper Gavin Bazunu with no chance. Stoke attempted to respond immediately. Substitute Lamine Cissé, on his first touch, delicately flicked the ball into the six‑yard box, where Taylor’s inadvertent touch wrong‑footed Patterson, creating a scramble.
Nevertheless, Coburn restored his confidence, scoring his third goal of the night after Bocat’s errant clearance fell to Neghli, who tapped in his tenth goal of the season. After the match, Alex Neil expressed his frustration with the team’s recent performances: "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." Neil also highlighted the significance of the win: "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 cements Millwall’s position near the summit but also adds pressure on the clubs trailing them. Ipswich Town, currently third, must now look to secure points against Charlton to keep their promotion hopes alive.
Meanwhile, Stoke City’s relegation battle grows increasingly precarious as they struggle to find consistency, with their reliance on young academy players highlighting the depth issues within the squad. Looking ahead, Millwall will aim to maintain their momentum in the final two fixtures, eyeing a direct promotion slot that would mark a historic achievement for the club. Their defensive solidity, combined with the attacking contributions of Neghli, Azeez, and Coburn, suggests they have the ingredients needed to clinch the top spot. For Stoke, the focus will shift to rebuilding confidence, integrating the academy prospects into the first team, and attempting to salvage a respectable finish despite the odds.
The match also featured a promotional element: a £250,000 prize pool is available through the Super 6 competition, with entries open until 3 pm on Saturday, offering fans a chance to engage further with the excitement of the Championship race.