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Millwall v Hull: Championship playoff semi-final, second leg – live
TL;DR
Millwall faces Hull City in the second leg of the Championship playoff semi-final, aiming for a chance at Premier League promotion. This match is pivotal for Millwall, marking their most significant game in years.
Key points
- Millwall and Hull City compete in Championship playoff semi-final
- Millwall's lineup features key players like Coburn and Azeez
- Hull City's lineup includes McBurnie and Joseph
- Millwall's last top-tier appearance was in 1989-90
- A Premier League season could change Millwall's future
MillwallHull CityChampionship
Millwall (4-2-3-1): Patterson; Leonard, Crama, Cooper, Sturge; De Norre, Mazou-Sacko; Azeez, Neghli, Ballo; Coburn. Subs: Crocombe, McNamara, Mitchell, Ivanovic, Doughty, Langstaff, Watson, Cundle, Bannan.
Hull City (4-2-3-1): Pandur; Coyle, Egan, Ajayi, Hughes; Crooks, Slater; Joseph, Giles, Millar; McBurnie. Subs: Phillips, Lundstram, Belloumi, Hirakawa, Gelhardt, Famewo, Dowell, Koumas, McNair.
Referee: Sam Barott (Yorkshire)
In 1988-89 and 1989-90, Millwall played in Football League Division 1, the only time in their history they’ve been part of the elite. Since then, they’ve remained in the second and third tiers, spending the last eight seasons zooming between eighth and 13th in the Championship, save for the exhilarating outlier of 2018-19, in which they finished 21st.
All of which makes tonight their biggest game in generations – with, of course, a respectful nod to the 2004 FA Cup final. Even a season in the Premier League can change a club’s future, and we need only look at how well Leeds and Sunderland have performed to see that a coherent strategy can deliver exceptional results.
Alex Neil’s outfit are warm favourites tonight, having won three and drawn two of their last five league games in the process of finishing 10 points above Hull – who limped into the final playoff berth having taken just five in the same period – and one behind promoted Ipswich. A goalless draw at the MKM means they’re now a home win away from Wembley.
At this stage of the season, though, things are rarely that simple. Sergej Jakirovic’s men are rarely shut out and, in Oli McBurnie and Joe Gelhardt, boast the second and sixth top-scorers in the Championship. But though only Middlesbrough and the promoted clubs have conceded fewer goals than Millwall, in no sense can this contest be characterised as attack against defence. The home side will look to go forward and, in Femi Azeez, have an in-form attacker who knows how to score, the clash of styles – one direct and the other expansive – along with a rabid crowd, should deliver us an evening of rare intensity.
Kick-off: 8pm BST
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Q&A
What are the lineups for Millwall and Hull City in the playoff semi-final?
Millwall's lineup includes Patterson, Leonard, Crama, Cooper, Sturge, De Norre, Mazou-Sacko, Azeez, Neghli, Ballo, and Coburn, while Hull City's lineup features Pandur, Coyle, Egan, Ajayi, Hughes, Crooks, Slater, Joseph, Giles, Millar, and McBurnie.
When did Millwall last play in the top tier of English football?
Millwall last played in the top tier during the 1988-89 and 1989-90 seasons, marking their only appearances in Football League Division 1.
Why is the playoff semi-final significant for Millwall?
The playoff semi-final is significant for Millwall as it represents their biggest game in generations, with a potential season in the Premier League capable of transforming the club's future.
