EFL

Millwall return to winning ways with confident victory against Rotherham

By Sports Desk September 20, 2023

Zian Flemming put on a stellar performance as Millwall cruised to a 3-0 victory over Rotherham at The Den.

Ryan Longman opened Millwall’s account in the 27th minute when he cut inside and fired a wonder strike from 25 yards.

Flemming, who was left out of The Lions’ starting line-up in their 3-0 defeat to Leeds on Sunday, returned and doubled his side’s tally in the 58th minute.

Millwall finished off a convincing display with a Tom Bradshaw goal as he pounced on a deflected long-range strike to make it 3-0 in second-half stoppage time.

The home side started as they meant to go on thanks to an encouraging opening from Flemming.

Brooke Norton-Cuffy whipped in a dangerous ball into the box in the 15th minute, but it could only find former Millwall man Fred Onyedinma as Viktor Johansson remained untested.

Bradshaw had a promising chance in the 26th minute when the ball fell to him outside the box, but the forward struck high and wide.

Millwall found the breakthrough just a minute later as Allan Campbell found fellow loanee Longman in space on the edge of the box, who cut inside and fired a stunning strike past Johansson into the top right corner.

Rotherham struggled to string any real passes together, but managed half a chance when Sam Clucas found Onyedinma in the box, only to head wide.

Casper De Norre fired a bullet effort from 30 yards past a number of Rotherham bodies in the 40th minute, but Johannson was on hand to prevent the advantage from doubling.

Rotherham looked to grab an early equaliser after the break, with Onyedinma proving a threat once again when he curled the ball past Bartosz Białkowski in the 49th minute, but the flag immediately went up for offside.

Millwall’s hopes of adding a second looked to have been hit by the loss of Kevin Nisbet to injury, but that did not stop Flemming from doubling their lead in the 58th minute with a punishing left-footed strike from inside the box.

The hosts continued to push for another goal to ensure a third win of the season as Norton-Cuffy had a strong right-footed effort saved from a tight angle with 10 minutes to go.

Bradshaw, who scored twice in this fixture last season, made it 3-0 in the third minute of stoppage time when the ball fell to him in the penalty area following a deflected long-range effort.

Related items

  • Arteta hails 'phenomenal' Arsenal drive to take Man City all the way Arteta hails 'phenomenal' Arsenal drive to take Man City all the way

    Mikel Arteta hailed the "phenomenal" drive shown by his Arsenal side to push Manchester City all the way in the Premier League title race.

    The Gunners moved one point clear of City at the Premier League summit on Sunday with a 1-0 win against Manchester United at Old Trafford.

    City have a chance to restore their advantage when they travel to Arsenal's fierce rivals Tottenham on Tuesday, before then hosting West Ham.

    Regardless of what happens in midweek, Arsenal will go into their final game of the campaign at home to Everton with the title battle still alive.

    Speaking to BBC Sport after his side's latest win, Arteta said: "It is a phenomenal thing they are doing."

    However, Arteta was not entirely pleased with the manner of his side's slender victory, even if they were good value for the win overall.

    "We weren't composed, clean enough, consistent enough and were unable to do the simple things right," he said. "That doesn't give you control. 

    "Some of the players have not been in this position; they don't know what is at stake and how you feel emotionally to have to win and win and win from December or January."

    Arsenal's win was just their second in 17 Premier League trips to Old Trafford, most recently coming out on top in November 2020.

    Lenadro Trossard scored what proved to be the winner with 20 minutes played, tapping in from close range after being set up by Kai Havertz.

    "We needed a result today in a really difficult place," Arteta added. "Our history was not in favour of a result today.

    "There was so much at stake and we're happy with the result. We started the game really well and were dominant. 

    "We scored the goal and I think the goal led to slightly bad things because we started to play too safe, too sideways, too backwards with not enough structure.

    "We started to give the ball away in good areas and that is a danger against them. But we defended well and didn't concede too much."

    Arsenal now find themselves cheering on Tottenham against City, knowing that anything other than a win for Pep Guardiola's men will leave their title fate in their own hands.

    Asked if he will be watching that game, Arteta said: "We will be sat watching and it’s true we need the result in order to achieve [the title]. In football there are always possibilities."

  • Tuchel skips goodbye from fans after final Bayern home game Tuchel skips goodbye from fans after final Bayern home game

    Departing Bayern Munich coach Thomas Tuchel opted on Sunday to quietly slip into the changing rooms instead of joining his players to celebrate after the Bavarians beat Wolfsburg 2-0.

    Tuchel will be leaving at the end of the season – a year earlier than his contract ends – following a disappointing campaign with no silverware.

    The win came four days after Bayern's Champions League semi-final exit to Real Madrid confirmed their first season without a trophy in over a decade.

    "These are the moments for the players," he said when asked why he did not join his squad who went in front of the Bayern ultras after their final home game of the season.

    "I don't want to be in the spotlight there. That's for the team. I know that the cameras are there.

    "I prefer to go in [to the changing rooms]. It is about the team. The fans are there for the team. They need to be celebrated."

    There has been little to celebrate for Tuchel in his 14 months in charge, with Bayern having managed to win only the Bundesliga title last season after Borussia Dortmund slipped up on the final matchday.

    He said he did not yet know what he would take away from his time at Bayern, who missed out on Bundesliga glory to Bayer Leverkusen this term.

    "Last home game and what remains I don't really know," he said. "It will take some time to see what is left.

    "It is a privilege to coach at this level. I came to win as many titles as possible. We did not succeed in that."

  • Juventus 1-1 Salernitana: Late Rabiot goal salvages home draw Juventus 1-1 Salernitana: Late Rabiot goal salvages home draw

    Juventus snatched a 1-1 draw at home to relegated Salernitana courtesy of a late Adrien Rabiot goal that cancelled out a first-half header from Niccolo Pierozzi in Serie A on Sunday.

    Juve are fourth on 67 points with two matches left, six points ahead of Atalanta, who have two games in hand.

    Salernitana shocked the Allianz Stadium as unmarked Pierozzi headed home after 27 minutes following a corner.

    But Juventus dominated the rest of the match and equalised in stoppage time when Rabiot slid the ball home at the back post after a corner was flicked on.

    Bottom side Salernitana were doomed to the drop last month.

    Juve play in the Italian Cup final against Atalanta on Wednesday in an effort to save a disappointing season and stop their winless streak at six matches in all competitions.

    Data Debrief: Another stalemate for Juve

    Juventus were grateful for a point come full-time, albeit it was a poor result in the grand scheme of things. Juve have now draw five successive matches in Serie A for the first time since between April and May 2009.

    In fact, only Heidenheim of the Bundesliga (10) have drawn more matches than Juventus have (nine from 18 games) across Europe's top five leagues in 2024.

© 2023 SportsMaxTV All Rights Reserved.