Femi Azeez scored twice to give Millwall a 2-0 win over relegated Oxford United at The Den on Saturday, a victory that secured Millwall third place in the Championship and a return to the second-tier play-offs for the first time since 2002.
Azeez opened the scoring in the 34th minute and doubled Millwall's lead three minutes after the break as the home side closed the regular season with a composed performance. The result left the Den celebrating a third-place finish — Millwall's best league placing in the second tier since 1994 — and set up a Championship play-off semi-final against Hull City, who finished sixth after snatching the final play-off place on the last day.
Millwall had needed another result to go their way to take automatic promotion, but Ipswich Town beat Queens Park Rangers 3-0 at home, a scoreline that confirmed Millwall would head into the play-offs rather than ascend directly to the Premier League. The Den win still marked a clear end to a strong league campaign for Gary Rowett's side, who will now face Hull City over two legs with the season's biggest prize still in front of them.
Despite Oxford being already relegated, the match contained moments that kept Millwall honest. Oxford's top scorer Will Lankshear had an early chance after 11 minutes, and goalkeeper Jamie Cumming produced saves to deny attempts from Ryan Leonard and others as the visitors showed fight. Late on, Mark Harris saw a header kept out by Millwall stopper Anthony Patterson, underscoring that Oxford continued to compete even with their fate sealed.
Rowett's side controlled the decisive spells. Azeez's headed opener before halftime settled a tight first half and his second early in the second period took the wind out of Oxford's sails. Millwall's win was measured rather than spectacular, and the scoreboard reflected a match in which the home team did what it needed to do.
Manager Alex Neil praised his players after the final whistle, saying, "It's been a brilliant season, the lads have been absolutely first class." He added a note of rue: "I thought we won the game comfortably today - the only bit I will probably look at it we probably should have scored more goals." His comments captured the mood at The Den: satisfaction at a season that had exceeded many expectations, mixed with the reminder that promotion was not secured yet.
The timing of the goals — one in the 34th minute, the other three minutes after the break — and the clean sheet were the tangible takeaways for Millwall fans. Reaching the second-tier play-offs for the first time since 2002 is a milestone for the club, and finishing third is their best placing in more than a quarter-century, facts that will be quoted and celebrated in the coming days.
Still, the result that mattered beyond the capital came from Ipswich. Their 3-0 victory over Queens Park Rangers denied Millwall automatic promotion and shaped what comes next: a play-off semi-final against a Hull City side who grabbed the sixth spot on the final day. Millwall must now convert a season of high finishes and home grit into two strong performances over two legs if they are to climb into the Premier League.
For now, The Den remembers a night when Azeez was the hero. The bigger test arrives shortly: can Millwall turn third place and a return to the play-offs into the single achievement that has eluded them all season — promotion? Their answer will come against Hull City.
