Former Stoke City manager Alex Neil watched as Millwall surged back into the Championship’s coveted top‑two positions, clinching a vital play‑off spot with a 3‑1 triumph at the bet365 Stadium. The London side took the initiative early when Camiel Neghli broke the deadlock, giving Millwall a first‑half lead. His strike was soon followed by Femi Azeez, who netted his ninth goal of the campaign to make it 2‑0 after the hour‑mark.
The home side’s hopes were briefly revived when Caleb Taylor inadvertently turned the ball into his own net around the 60‑minute mark, but Millwall restored control when Josh Coburn struck in the 69th minute, exploiting a lapse in Stoke’s defensive organization. The win propelled Millwall three points clear of third‑placed Ipswich Town, who are set to travel to Charlton Athletic on Wednesday.
Stoke, whose early‑season promise has faded dramatically – they have managed just two victories in their last ten outings – handed first‑team debuts to academy prospects Pijus Otegbayo and 18‑year‑old defender Syd Agina. Stoke almost seized an early lead when Anthony Patterson, making his first start since the start of the year, saved a low effort from Robert Bozenik in the 12th minute.
Millwall responded swiftly, and although Josh Coburn missed an early chance after a promising cross from Tristan Crama, the visitors continued to press. Neghli, however, demonstrated his finishing prowess just 20 minutes later, scoring his second consecutive league goal. A clever left‑foot pass from Zak Sturge found Neghli in space, and after Eric Bocat failed to clear the ball cleanly, Neghli curled a powerful left‑foot drive into the top corner. Four minutes later, Neghli again created a chance, but Coburn’s effort from seven yards went wide.
Just before half‑time, a misplaced pass from Crama gifted Lewis Baker an unexpected shooting opportunity. The on‑loan Sunderland keeper Patterson, who had been on the bench, produced a fine save from the 25‑yard effort. Five minutes into the second half, Patterson was tested again when Tatsuki Seko volleyed from a corner, but the goalkeeper’s right‑handed upright kept the ball out. Stoke continued to apply pressure, and Patterson made several more crucial interventions, including a denial of a strike from Million Manhoef.
The atmosphere among the 1,302 travelling Millwall supporters brightened when Azeez doubled the lead. The winger collected the ball just outside the box, unleashed a fierce left‑foot shot and saw it beat Stoke keeper Gavin Bazunu. Stoke replied almost immediately.
Substitute Lamine Cissé, on his first touch, flicked a ball into the six‑yard area, and an inadvertent touch from Taylor wrong‑footed Patterson, allowing the ball to slip through. However, Coburn restored the lead for Millwall after Bocat’s loose ball fell to Neghli, who tapped in his 10th goal of the season.
After the match, 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." Neghli also spoke about the club’s ambitions: "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 result also has financial implications for fans, as a £250,000 prize pool is available through the Super 6 competition, which remains free to enter until the 3 pm deadline on Saturday.
The win not only boosts Millwall’s position in the league but also adds momentum as they approach the final stretch of the season, where every point could determine whether they secure automatic promotion or face the uncertainty of the play‑offs. The club’s supporters, buoyed by the spirited performance, will be hoping the team can maintain this form and finish the campaign on a high note.