MILLWALL snatched a point from the jaws of defeat in a stunning 2-2 draw at Swansea City.
The Lions were 1-0 down inside the opening minute of the game as an unmarked Ryan Manning was afforded too much space down the left, allowing him to fire a shot past Bartosz Bia?kowski for an early lead.
It would be 2-0 just over 12 minutes later as Michael Obafemi got in on the act, bursting past Jake Cooper to put the hosts into a comfortable lead.
Millwall began to look more comfortable, but failed to really threaten throughout the game. Three minutes into stoppage time, however, Ben Cabango turned the ball into his own net to give the visitors a lifeline.
With almost the last kick of the game, it happened once again, as Scott Malone’s cross looped over everyone, meeting Swansea defender Nathan Wood at the back post. He too was forced to turn it into his own net, securing a stunning stoppage-time comeback in South Wales.
Match details
Millwall have struggled to start games well so far this season. They were 2-0 down away at Sheffield United after 22 minutes and 2-0 down at home to Coventry after 30 minutes, but the Lions were in a far worse predicament in South Wales.
Swansea pushed forward as soon as they gained possession of the ball at the start of the game. They pushed forward down the right, with Millwall unable to clear the danger. Olivier Ntcham leaped up to head the ball into the path of Ryan Manning, who was left unmarked down the left flank. He took a touch and smashed the ball past Bartosz Bia?kowski to give the hosts the lead after just 52 seconds.
The Swans kept pushing. Three minutes later, Ntcham forced Bia?kowski into a low save with a curling effort. He parried the rebound into the path of Joel Latibeaudiere, who somehow managed to sky his shot over the open goal in front of him.
For a brief moment, it looked like Millwall would get themselves back into the game on the ninth minute. Tyler Burey threatened down the left, but his effort was blocked and bobbled over to Benik Afobe. The striker failed to find space to get his shot away, but was able to set up Jamie Shackleton, who smacked the crossbar.
Three minutes later, the Lions would find themselves 2-0 down for the third time in a week and a half. Michael Obafemi picked up the ball on the edge of the area and took on Jake Cooper, cutting in and out before the space opened up for him to brush past the Millwall skipper. From there, he was able to take aim at goal, firing past Bia?kowski to double his side’s lead.
The visitors managed to slow the game down by making it incredibly physical. Latibeaudiere had to be stretchered off after Murray Wallace shoved him into the advertising board, a move which didn’t even see the hosts win a free-kick. Shackleton and Afobe were both presented with chances as the half went on, but neither could hit the target, while Burey and Billy Mitchell picked up bookings for fouls just before the break.
It was a half that showed Millwall’s immense frustration. The Lions hardly touched the ball, with Swansea boasting 65% possession by the time the half-time whistle was blown.
That percentage decreased at the start of the second half as Millwall seemed to calm down. Mitchell slipped as he took aim from distance two minutes after the restart, but his shot nearly caught Fisher off his line, winning a corner. Unfortunately for the visitors, that would be the closest that they would come during their extended spell on the ball.
After 65 minutes, Honeyman fired a shot at goal from the right of the box. Manning rushed in to block it, with the Lions winning a corner. However, they were furious that a penalty wasn’t given, believing that the ball came off the Swansea man’s hand. Scott Malone was booked for protesting, and the visitors were unable to capitalise from the resulting set piece.
Andreas Voglsammer was brought on for his Millwall debut with 15 minutes to go, hitting the crossbar with an impressive chipped effort in the dying stages of the match. It looked like the Lions were dead and buried as the board was lifted up for five minutes of stoppage time.
In the third minute, McNamara’s low cross was met by Swansea defender Harry Darling, who was forced to turn the ball into his own net to half the deficit. Smelling the chance of a stunning equaliser, the Lions pushed forward. It looked like they would run out of time, with the Swans keeping them at bay until the very end of the match.
A ball was whipped towards the back post where Nathan Wood was stood in the 95th minute to turn home a second own goal for the hosts. In pure pandemonium, the entirety of Millwall’s coaching staff and subs ran onto the pitch, with the Lions having snatched a stunning point from the jaws of defeat.
Swansea XI: 5-2-2-1: Fisher; Latibeaudiere, Naughton, Darling, Wood, Manning; Allen, Grimes; Ntcham, Piroe; Obefemi
Millwall XI: 5-2-1-2: Bia?kowski; McNamara, Cresswell, Cooper, Wallace, Malone; Mitchell, Shackleton; Honeyman; Burey, Afobe
Takeaways
Another dreadful start
Millwall keep finding ways to start worse and worse. Nobody thought that the Lions would concede earlier than Kyle McFadzean’s header on Saturday, but Manning managed to better it by more than a minute.
It raises question marks about how focused the players in the early stages of these games, and how Rowett can mend that ahead of Friday’s match at Norwich.
Uncharacteristic defending
Millwall are known for being a rock-solid defensive outfit, but they’ve conceded two goals in each of their last two games.
Swansea’s goals were impressive, but once again, they were avoidable, much like the ones at Bramall Lane and against Coventry on Saturday.
If the Lions defend like that against Norwich on Friday, the scoreline could be anything.
Never say die
Millwall’s comeback against Coventry at the weekend was special, but this was an entire new level.
The Lions looked dead and buried as the clock ticked into stoppage time. When the referee blew for full-time, the Lions had somehow snatched a point in the unlikeliest of circumstances.
Say what you want about the performance, but Millwall’s character can’t be denied.
Photo: Millwall FC