Millwall Vs Birmingham — Three-goal surge resets Millwall’s promotion momentum as they climb back to third

The market shifted fast after the millwall vs birmingham clash at The Den: Millwall’s 3-0 victory not only restored immediate momentum but pushed the club back into third place and put their bid to gatecrash the Premier League back on track. For Birmingham, a sending-off and a blank scoreline halted a strong run and left questions about how they respond on the road.

Millwall Vs Birmingham — standings swing, margin to second and what the result changes

The win moved Millwall back up to third in the Championship; coverage also noted they are four points behind second-placed Middlesbrough. The result was framed as a reset for Millwall’s promotion ambitions after a recent home defeat, described both as a loss at the weekend and as a Saturday shock home defeat by Portsmouth in different accounts. For Birmingham the evening ended with a numerical disadvantage — they finished the match with 10 men after Jhon Solis was sent off for a second yellow card — and the unbeaten sequence attributed to them is unclear in the provided context (one account described it as an eight-match unbeaten run ended, another described them as undefeated in nine).

Match detail: how the three goals formed and key contributors

Femi Azeez was the match catalyst. He opened the scoring with a volley that was noted as his eighth goal of the season, and he played a direct role in the other two goals. Azeez struck a 30-yard free kick which was pushed onto the post by goalkeeper James Beadle; Tristan Crama reacted to the rebound to make it two before half-time. Shortly after the break another Azeez free kick caused chaos, leading to a cut-back that Jake Cooper turned in for the third goal. The sequence left Millwall comfortable despite late chances for Birmingham.

Key moments, chances and match flow

• Millwall pressed from the start and scored twice inside six minutes to underline early superiority.
• Josh Coburn, back in the side after missing out against Portsmouth through illness, headed Camiel Neghli’s cross over the bar from six yards in an early chance.
• Anthony Patterson made a full-length save to push Jay Stansfield’s shot round the post — a rare bright moment for Birmingham.
• Macaulay Langstaff appeared to be hauled down by Tomoki Iwata while reaching a long throw in the Birmingham area; referee Dean Whitestone did not award a penalty.
• Jhon Solis was shown a second yellow for a late challenge on Casper De Norre shortly after Millwall’s third goal.
• Camiel Neghli and Macaulay Langstaff each went close late on but Birmingham could not reduce the deficit.

Moments that shaped the scoreline and contributors named

Detailed buildup for the opener included a Zak Sturge punt forward from halfway and a Tristan Crama header back to Femi Azeez, who volleyed into the top corner beyond James Beadle. Azeez’s 30-yard free kick that rebounded off the post led to Crama’s second, and an Azeez floated free kick after half-time found Crama near the byline; his cut-back was swept home by centre-back and captain Jake Cooper. Azeez was credited with creating two further goals in the match as well as scoring the opener.

Here’s the part that matters for readers tracking form: the performance combined a clinical delivery from set plays and immediate pressure after the restart, and it followed a reaction to a recent home defeat by Portsmouth.

• Femi Azeez: scored (volley) and created two goals; the volley is recorded as his eighth of the season.
• Tristan Crama: scored the second rebound and was involved in the third on the byline.
• Jake Cooper: centre-back and captain who swept home the third.
• Jhon Solis: sent off for a second yellow card after a late challenge on Casper De Norre.

The bigger signal here is that Millwall’s ability to convert set-piece and long-range delivery into goals can change a game quickly; Birmingham’s numerical downturn compounded that impact.

Manager reaction extract, run-in and unfinished lines

Post-match comment included reflections that the side had perhaps been looking too far ahead after earlier optimism, and a reminder to keep focused. The manager highlighted that on their day the team are a match for anyone at this level and said there is no ceiling on expectations if they keep winning. He also listed a difficult upcoming sequence of away fixtures: Ipswich away, Middlesbrough away, Hull away and Preston away. He praised performances across the pitch and singled out the midfield duo as excellent; the provided context ends with an incomplete sentence about Jake Cooper that is unclear in the provided context.

Micro timeline of decisive phases: Wednesday night at The Den — two goals scored inside a short first-half window, a rebound goal before half-time, and a third struck within four minutes of the restart leading to the sending-off that left Birmingham reduced to 10 men.

If you’re wondering why this keeps coming up for Millwall, look at set-piece delivery and Azeez’s form: both directly produced the scoreline and have immediate table consequences.

Writer's aside: It’s easy to overlook, but the combination of a returning striker with an immediate chance (Coburn) and a free-kick specialist dominating set plays is a tidy recipe for quick league movement when results go your way.