Match ends, Millwall 1, Leicester City 0.
Ryan Longman's brilliant winner for Millwall consigned stuttering promotion challengers Leicester to a fifth defeat in nine Championship matches.
Longman collected Billy Mitchell's pass, cut in from the left past Harry Winks and sent an unstoppable strike from near the edge of the penalty area beyond keeper Mads Hermansen and into the far corner of the net.
The victory took Millwall to 47 points, four clear of the relegation zone, and they have now taken 10 points from their four home matches since Neil Harris' recent return for a second spell as boss.
Leaders Leicester, meanwhile, clung onto top spot by virtue of Leeds only managing a goalless draw at home to Sunderland.
That point saw Leeds move up to second and Ipswich drop to third, but the Suffolk side will go top if they win at home to Watford on Wednesday.
Leicester dominated possession at The Den for large periods, especially in the first half, but struggled to create clear-cut chances.
However, substitute Patson Daka should have equalised deep into stoppage time but made a mess of an attempted header from Dennis Praet's cross. The ball bounced off his shoulder and wide of the target.
Millwall struggled badly under ex-boss Joe Edwards, who attempted to introduce an expansive style of play but was sacked in February after a series of poor results and performances.
Former Lions striker Harris, on the other hand, has gone back to basics, deploying a 4-4-2 formation and relying on hard work and good organisation. His team managed to frustrate the visitors.
Millwall defended well before and after Longman's goal, and a win at home to Cardiff City on Saturday would take them to the 50-point mark, which is typically enough to stay up.
Leicester will visit another relegation-threatened side, Plymouth, on Friday. The Foxes are now without a win in five away matches.
Leicester City manager Enzo Maresca told BBC Radio Leicester:
"A tough night. But we knew it would be a difficult game - every game until the end of the season will be difficult because every club is playing for some target.
"We struggled a little bit in the first half to find space and to create chances. The second half was much better, but they scored a fantastic goal.
"At this stage of the season, to be honest, I expected some games like this because now it's almost 50 games that we've played and it's the last three or four weeks, so everyone is a little bit tired.
"Now it's a matter of recovering energy and trying to win the game on Friday. Every game now is a big moment.
"The game we've played is gone. Now we need to be focused on the next games - they are the most important of the season."
Millwall manager Neil Harris:
"Firstly, it's so Millwall-like to lose to Rotherham and Huddersfield, both in the last minute, and then beat the league leaders.
"That's what this club does. Not just this group. The last 30 years of Millwall Football Club.
"We scored a goal that would win any game at this level. I thought it was an excellent Millwall performance. To play against arguably the best team in the league and limit them to very little was so impressive.
"We're moving in the right direction. What I'm seeing in the group is a lot of positives."
Line-ups
Millwall
Formation 4-4-2
- 20SarkicBooked at 90mins
- 18Leonard
- 6Tanganga
- 5Cooper
- 2McNamara
- 11LongmanSubstituted forNorton-Cuffyat 89'minutes
- 8Mitchell
- 23SavilleBooked at 83mins
- 39HoneymanBooked at 11minsSubstituted forEsseat 51'minutes
- 10FlemmingSubstituted forDe Norreat 90'minutes
- 21ObafemiSubstituted forBradshawat 76'minutes
Substitutes
- 4Hutchinson
- 9Bradshaw
- 12Mayor
- 17Norton-Cuffy
- 22Emakhu
- 24De Norre
- 25Esse
- 33Bialkowski
- 45Harding
Leicester
Formation 4-2-3-1
- 30Hermansen
- 21Ricardo Pereira
- 3Faes
- 23Vestergaard
- 5DoyleSubstituted forJustinat 73'minutes
- 8WinksBooked at 21minsSubstituted forDakaat 88'minutes
- 25NdidiSubstituted forPraetat 73'minutes
- 29AkgünSubstituted forFatawuat 62'minutes
- 22Dewsbury-Hall
- 10Mavididi
- 9VardySubstituted forIheanachoat 73'minutes
Substitutes
- 2Justin
- 4Coady
- 11Albrighton
- 14Iheanacho
- 17Choudhury
- 18Fatawu
- 20Daka
- 26Praet
- 41Stolarczyk
- Referee:
- Sunny Sukhvir Gill
- Attendance:
- 14,889
Match Stats
- Possession
- Home27%
- Away73%
- Shots
- Home6
- Away11
- Shots on Target
- Home4
- Away3
- Corners
- Home3
- Away9
- Fouls
- Home11
- Away6
Live Text
Post update
Full Time
Second Half ends, Millwall 1, Leicester City 0.
Post update
Attempt missed. Patson Daka (Leicester City) header from the right side of the six yard box misses to the right. Assisted by Dennis Praet with a cross.
Booking
Matija Sarkic (Millwall) is shown the yellow card.
Post update
Attempt missed. Stephy Mavididi (Leicester City) right footed shot from the left side of the box is too high. Assisted by Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall.
Post update
Attempt blocked. Abdul Fatawu (Leicester City) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Stephy Mavididi.
Post update
Corner, Leicester City. Conceded by Billy Mitchell.
Post update
Attempt blocked. Kelechi Iheanacho (Leicester City) header from very close range is blocked. Assisted by Abdul Fatawu.
Post update
Foul by Stephy Mavididi (Leicester City).
Post update
Ryan Leonard (Millwall) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Substitution
Substitution, Millwall. Casper De Norre replaces Zian Flemming.
Substitution
Substitution, Millwall. Brooke Norton-Cuffy replaces Ryan Longman.
Substitution
Substitution, Leicester City. Patson Daka replaces Harry Winks.
Post update
Delay over. They are ready to continue.
Post update
Delay in match because of an injury Zian Flemming (Millwall).
Post update
Jannik Vestergaard (Leicester City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Post update
Foul by Jake Cooper (Millwall).
Booking
George Saville (Millwall) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Post update
Ricardo Pereira (Leicester City) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Post update
Foul by George Saville (Millwall).
Comments
Join the conversation
Ipswich fan.
I am keeping away from Millwall matches for the rest of the season so that they can keep up winning.
Come on you Millwall.
Negative and senseless.
Stupid passes back and forth across the midfield and playing triangles in our own box you would think we were winning 9-0.
Negative, senseless and clueless, and this all stems from a manager who is nothing more than a one-trick pony, whose substitutions once again made absolutely no sense at all.
Just senseless!
I'm starting to question Enzos tactics. We had no runners in behind.
Fair play to Millwall won it with a wonder goal.
Leicester meanwhile who had a huge advantage in December are now having to look at other scores to stay top.
Why change fatawu BTW nothing makes sense with any of what I saw today
Leicester was to slow moving the ball.
Millwall was unlucky not to make it 2 nil.