Millwall Vs Birmingham — Azeez volley and two free-kick assists set up 3-0 win
In a dominant display at The Den, millwall vs birmingham finished 3-0 as Femi Azeez scored a stunning opener and created the other two goals, helping Millwall move back up to third in the Championship.
Millwall Vs Birmingham: Azeez the difference
Femi Azeez opened the scoring with a sweet volley — the strike was his eighth of the season — and then played a central role in the second and third goals. Millwall went into a clear lead and finished the game 3-0 against 10-man Birmingham City, restoring momentum after a recent home loss to Portsmouth.
Two quick goals and a rebound finished Birmingham off
The hosts scored twice inside six minutes to underline their superiority. Azeez chest-controlled Tristan Crama's cushioned header and struck a volley that flew into the far corner beyond James Beadle. Soon after, a 30-yard free kick from Azeez was pushed onto the post by Beadle and the rebound fell to Crama, who side-footed the ball on target to double the lead. Sky Sports coverage places Azeez's opening strike in the 25th minute.
Third goal from a floated free-kick and a harsh night for Birmingham
Four minutes into the second half another Azeez free-kick caused chaos. His floated delivery struck the back of Jhon Solis as the midfielder tried to duck under it, allowing Crama to keep the ball alive and lay it back for captain Jake Cooper to sweep home the third. Solis, the Colombian midfielder, was later shown a second yellow card — sent off for a late challenge on Casper De Norre — leaving Birmingham down to 10 men.
Early chances, key saves and a shout for a penalty
Millwall pressed from the start. Josh Coburn, back in the side after missing the Portsmouth game through illness, should have opened the scoring after a quarter of an hour when he headed Camiel Neghli's cross over from six yards. Birmingham’s Jay Stansfield had a bright moment when his curler was pushed round the post by Millwall goalkeeper Anthony Patterson, who also made a full-length stop to keep the visitors in the game early on. Macaulay Langstaff later appeared to be hauled down by Tomoki Iwata trying to reach a long throw in the Birmingham area; referee Dean Whitestone remained unmoved when Millwall players appealed for a penalty.
How the defeat halted Birmingham's run and what it means next
The win ended what one report described as the Blues' eight-match unbeaten run in the league; another account noted Birmingham had arrived in south London undefeated in nine with three successive away wins, a discrepancy between the accounts. Millwall's three goals lifted them back up to third in the table and were described as a strong response to Saturday's shock home defeat by Portsmouth. Sky Sports noted Millwall sat just four points behind second-placed Middlesbrough after the result.
Millwall manager reflected that the team had perhaps been looking too far ahead after the previous home game and urged focus. He said the squad can match anyone on their day, that expectations should remain high, and that the side face one of the toughest run-ins with away matches at Ipswich, Middlesbrough, Hull and Preston coming up. He praised Femi Azeez's goal and said there were terrific performances across the pitch; comments about Jake Cooper in the manager's remarks are unclear in the provided context.
Next on the agenda are the sequence of away fixtures the manager listed: Ipswich away, Middlesbrough away, Hull away and Preston away.
