MILLWALL returned from the World Cup break with a 1-1 draw against Danish giants Brondby.
The Lions played out an uninspiring first half with the 11-time Superliga champions, but a long-range goal from Murray Wallace gave them the lead after a number of half-time substitutes.
Just as it looked like they were about to see out the win, Gary Rowett’s side were pegged back by a slick goal from Mathias Kvistgaarden, who almost added a second to win the game shortly after.
Match details
There was no rustiness in Millwall’s early performance as they started to play straight through Brondby. Zian Flemming’s aggressive play helped him to shrug past the visitors’ midfield and play Mason Bennett down the left flank. He cut inside, but instead of going for goal he played a backheel to Scott Malone after spotting him on the overlap, although the left-back’s cross failed to meet Bradshaw in the middle.
Romain Esse, making his first start for the Lions in a near full-strength XI, was presented with a chance to shoot on the edge of the area after Bennett set him up from the left flank. Jake Cooper connected with the resulting corner, although Brondby cleared as far as Billy Mitchell, whose scuffed shot landed at the feet of Tom Bradshaw. The striker was given a golden chance to open the scoring from close range, but Mads Hermansen did enough to keep out his powerful effort with a spectacular save.
The Danish giants began to improve and, shortly before the half-hour mark, created their first real chance. A low corner bounces into the path of Sigurd Rosted, but he blasted his shot narrowly over the crossbar.
Esse, having impressed in his senior debut, came inches away from giving the hosts the lead. Malone’s short free-kick was played to the winger down the right, allowing him to cut inside and clip the post with a curling effort from the edge of the area.
Millwall were almost made to pay for that mistake immediately after when a mix-up between George Long and Jamie Shackleton gave Brondby an open goal to aim at, a situation made worse when Charlie Cresswell slipped while trying to clear the ball, but Malone eventually popped up to clear the danger.
The half ended with a plethora of poorly-finished chances as Flemming and Christian Cappis both missed good opportunities to give their respective sides the lead. It became clear that any magic to split the sides would have to come after the half-time break.
In fact, it took less than four minutes for that moment to materialise after Rowett made eight substitutes, bringing on Bartosz Bialkowski, Danny McNamara, Shaun Hutchinson, Murray Wallace, George Evans, George Saville, George Honeyman and Andreas Voglsammer for George Long, Jamie Shackleton, Charlie Cresswell, Scott Malone, Billy Mitchell, Zian Flemming, Mason Bennett, Romain Esse.
Wallace, having picked up the ball on the left flank, cut inside and curled a dipping effort at goal. It clipped off the post and bounced back, trickling over the line and into the net to give Millwall the lead in the 49th minute.
Brondby looked for a fast reaction, with Ohi Omoijuanfo going one-on-one with Bialkowski before curling his effort straight at the Lions ‘keeper from close range. That was the last concrete opportunity either side had before the tempo dropped and Rowett opted to make a further three subs, bringing on Abdul Abdulmalik, Isaac Olaofe and Sashiel Adom-Malaki in the 73rd minute.
Seconds after doing so, the substitutes linked up with Voglsammer to set up Honeyman with a good chance, but the versatile midfielder’s tame effort bobbled straight into the hands of Hermansen. Fortunately, they weren’t made to pay for their poor finishing, as Brondby continued to waste chances at the other end.
However, with just four minutes remaining, the visitors exploited a two-on-one attack from almost nothing to level the scores, with substitute Mathias Kvistgaarden rifling an effort into the back of the net from the left side of the box.
They even had a chance to win the match in the 90th minute as Kvistgaarden looked for his second goal, although Adom-Malaki rushed back to clear the ball off the line.
Millwall: 4-2-3-1: Long; Shackleton, Cresswell, Cooper, Malone; Mitchell, Styles; Esse, Flemming, Bennett; Bradshaw
Brondby: 4-3-3: Hermansen; Sebulonsen, Rosted, Maxso, Riveros; Bell, Hedlund, Greve; Cappis, Omoijuanfo, Vallys
Photo: Millwall FC