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Millwall 1-0 Leicester City: Ryan Longman winner lifts Lions & dents Foxes' title bid

Ryan Longman scores for Millwall
Ryan Longman's fine strike was his second goal in three games

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

Home TeamMillwallAway TeamLeicester
Possession
Home27%
Away73%
Shots
Home6
Away11
Shots on Target
Home4
Away3
Corners
Home3
Away9
Fouls
Home11
Away6

Live Text

  1. Post update

    Match ends, Millwall 1, Leicester City 0.

  2. Full Time

    Second Half ends, Millwall 1, Leicester City 0.

  3. 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.

  4. Booking

    Matija Sarkic (Millwall) is shown the yellow card.

  5. 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.

  6. Post update

    Attempt blocked. Abdul Fatawu (Leicester City) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Stephy Mavididi.

  7. Post update

    Corner, Leicester City. Conceded by Billy Mitchell.

  8. Post update

    Attempt blocked. Kelechi Iheanacho (Leicester City) header from very close range is blocked. Assisted by Abdul Fatawu.

  9. Post update

    Foul by Stephy Mavididi (Leicester City).

  10. Post update

    Ryan Leonard (Millwall) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

  11. Substitution

    Substitution, Millwall. Casper De Norre replaces Zian Flemming.

  12. Substitution

    Substitution, Millwall. Brooke Norton-Cuffy replaces Ryan Longman.

  13. Substitution

    Substitution, Leicester City. Patson Daka replaces Harry Winks.

  14. Post update

    Delay over. They are ready to continue.

  15. Post update

    Delay in match because of an injury Zian Flemming (Millwall).

  16. Post update

    Jannik Vestergaard (Leicester City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

  17. Post update

    Foul by Jake Cooper (Millwall).

  18. Booking

    George Saville (Millwall) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.

  19. Post update

    Ricardo Pereira (Leicester City) wins a free kick in the attacking half.

  20. Post update

    Foul by George Saville (Millwall).

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As It Stood

TeamPWDLFAGDPts
1Leicester41284979374288
2Leeds42269776334387
3Ipswich41269684523287
4Southampton40239878522678
5West Brom4119121064412369
6Norwich422081475601568
7Coventry4117121266491763
8Preston41189145656063
9Middlesbrough41187165853561
10Hull401710135752561
11Cardiff41175194657-1156
12Bristol City41159174445-154
13Sunderland42158195150153
14Watford411215145755251
15Swansea411211184962-1347
16QPR421211194054-1447
17Millwall421211193954-1547
18Blackburn411210195666-1046
19Stoke411210194056-1646
20Plymouth421112195766-945
21Huddersfield42916174669-2343
22Sheff Wed42127233566-3143
23Birmingham41119214563-1842
24Rotherham41411263282-5023
View full Championship table

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