Former Stoke City manager Alex Neil watched as Millwall surged back into the Championship's top‑two positions and clinched a guaranteed play‑off spot, thanks to a 3-1 triumph at the bet365 Stadium. The London side took the initiative early, with Camiel Neghli opening the scoring in the first half. His strike gave Millwall the lead, and the momentum continued when Femi Azeez, who was on a fine scoring run, doubled the advantage in the 55th minute, marking his ninth goal of the campaign.
Stoke’s hopes were briefly revived when Caleb Taylor inadvertently turned the ball into his own net at the hour mark, putting the home side under pressure. However, Millwall responded swiftly; Josh Coburn seized the moment with a decisive finish in the 69th minute, exploiting a lapse in the Potters' defensive organization and sealing the three points. The win propelled Millwall three points clear of third‑placed Ipswich Town, who are set to travel to Charlton Athletic on Wednesday.
For Stoke, the result underscored a worrying decline; the club has managed only two victories in their last ten fixtures. Neil opted to give his academy prospects a chance, handing first‑team starts to 18‑year‑old defender Syd Agina and forward Pijus Otegbayo. Stoke almost grabbed an early lead when a 12th‑minute chance saw Anthony Patterson, making his first start since the start of the year, tip a powerful shot from Robert Bozenik onto the post.
Millwall quickly countered, and although Josh Coburn missed his initial attempt after a well‑delivered cross from Tristan Crama, the Lions remained dangerous. Neghli, who had already found the net in the previous match, demonstrated his finishing prowess after 20 minutes. A clever pass from Zak Sturge, delivered from the left, found Neghli in space. With his left foot, he curled a rising drive past the on‑looking goalkeeper, giving Millwall a 1‑0 lead.
Four minutes later, Neghli set up a chance for Coburn, whose shot from seven yards flew over the bar. Just before the break, a misplaced pass from Crama allowed Lewis Baker an unexpected opportunity, but the on‑loan Sunderland keeper Patterson saved a long‑range effort. After the interval, Patterson again proved his worth, denying a volley from Tatsuki Seko when Millwall failed to clear a corner.
Stoke continued to press, and Patterson made several crucial interventions, including a save against a powerful strike from Millwall’s forward Manhoef. The tension eased for the 1,302 travelling Millwall supporters when Azeez scored his second of the night, extending the lead to 2‑0.
The winger collected the ball just outside the penalty area and unleashed a ferocious left‑footed shot that the Stoke goalkeeper Gavin Bazunu could not keep out. Stoke responded almost immediately. Substitute Lamine Cissé, after receiving the ball, deftly flicked it into the six‑yard box. Taylor, attempting to clear, inadvertently deflected the ball, wrong‑footing Patterson.
The chaos resulted in a goal‑mouth scramble, but Millwall’s Coburn capitalised, restoring the lead to 3‑1 after Bocat’s misplaced pass found Neghli, who set up Coburn’s finishing strike. 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." Neil also highlighted the significance of the achievement: "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 reinforced Millwall's push for the top spot but also highlighted the stark contrast between their consistency and Stoke's struggles. As the season approaches its climax, Millwall will aim to maintain their momentum, while Stoke must regroup quickly to avoid slipping further down the table.
The £250,000 Super 6 prize remains on offer, with entries closing at 3 pm on Saturday, adding an extra incentive for fans to stay engaged as the championship race intensifies.