A CONFIDENT and assured Millwall display saw the Lions beat Cardiff City and put one foot in the Championship next season.
Michael Obafemi scored at The Den for the first time during an electric performance while Jake Cooper ended his goal drought to put his side back ahead just before half-time after an equaliser by Yakou Meite.
Millwall kept their energy up and found a deserved third goal in second-half stoppage time as Duncan Watmore tucked home a good finish.
The belligerent display had The Den roaring as Neil Harris’ side made it back-to-back wins and fully overcame their awful start to April.
It was a different win to the victory on Tuesday night over Leicester City but in many ways it was just as impressive. Millwall were in control, smothered Cardiff and didn’t wobble when the Welsh side clawed their way back in.
The win leaves the Lions six points clear of the relegation zone with three games remaining after a dramatic day at the bottom of the Championship. They are almost safe but it is still fiercely competitive between a number of sides.
The good energy from the win on Tuesday night was still hanging around in the stadium from kick-off as Millwall got off to a fast start. Fans cried ‘shoot’ the first time Ryan Longman picked up the ball after his heroics against Leicester.
But it was actually Cardiff who had the early efforts as Karlan Grant’s long-range shot forced Matija Sarkic into action after five minutes before Perry Ng lifted a loose ball from a corner over the crossbar.
But the Lions re-established their dominance quickly after. Obafemi saw an opening as he latched onto Zian Flemming’s bouncing ball and fired home a vicious effort in at Ethan Horvath’s near post. It was his first goal at The Den and his second for Millwall since he joined on loan from Burnley in January.
Cardiff struggled to muster a response with George Saville and Billy Mitchell in control of the midfield, whether or not the Lions were in possession at the time, while Romain Esse grew into the game after a couple of loose passes. He was making his first start under Harris after a strong impact off the bench against Leicester.
Despite the positive signs, Cardiff pulled a sudden equaliser out of the bag after 24 minutes. Rubin Colwill, who had been the Bluebirds’ most influential player up to that point, won a free-kick 25 yards out wide off George Saville. Colwill delivered a curling ball to the back post that was squeezed home by the head of Meite.
The Lions had a big penalty appeal after half an hour when Flemming appeared to be pushed in the back while going up for an Esse cross.
Cardiff then briefly appeared to be growing in confidence and should have taken the lead just before half-time when defender Nathaniel Phillips latched onto a loose ball from a corner and swept an effort wide.
And they would rue the miss when Millwall went back ahead in first half stoppage time. Cardiff failed to properly clearly multiple in-swinging corners by Saville and the ball eventually broke loose for Esse out wide. His dinked cross was knocked-on to the back post where Cooper could crash home an explosive, left-footed finish into the roof of the net. He led exuberant celebrations for his first goal since February 2023.
The Lions gave off the feeling of a team in control and at ease in the second half as Esse departed at half-time for Watmore.
Harris’ side almost took the game away from Cardiff on the hour mark. They won the ball back in the middle, Obafemi drove sharply to the box and hit a powerful effort that Horvath tipped away from the bottom corner.
That would his last action before he departed to a standing ovation after 71 minutes. His replacement, Tom Bradshaw, almost made an instant impact. The Welshman stuck his toe out at yet another brilliant Saville delivery but the ball skidded just wide of the post.
Cardiff seemed lacklustre in the first half but were borderline lifeless in the second half with Millwall all over them.
There were small moments, with Joe Ralls trying his luck from range and sub Cian Ashford tearing down the left to put in a dangerous cross, but otherwise Millwall looked comfortable even if the scoreline wasn’t.
By the third minute of stoppage time, they would finally find a deserved third goal as two subs linked up. Brooke Norton-Cuffy, who had come on minutes earlier for Longman, drove down the right and sent a low ball across the area.
Watmore was there to apply the finish and send The Den into raptures. The normally level-headed 30-year-old looked ecstatic and tore his shirt off before being mobbed by his teammates.
The noise would not come down again until several minutes after the final whistle had gone and, suddenly, the mood around the club felt just as bright and positive as the spring weather.
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Millwall: 4-4-1-1: Sarkic; Leonard, Tanganga, Cooper (c), McNamara; Esse (Watmore 46′), Mitchell, Saville, Longman (Norton-Cuffy 84′); Flemming (De Norre 90+5′); Obafemi (Bradshaw 71′).
Cardiff: 4-4-1-1: Horvath; Ng, Phillips, Goutas, Collins; Bowler (Ashford 69′), Ralls (c) (Turnball 74′), Siopis (Wintle 60′), Grant; Colwill (Tanner 74′); Meite (Diedhiou 60′).
Referee: Will Finnie
Attendance: 17,151 (1,390)