Article body analysed
Football
Millwall
vs West Bromwich Albion. Sky Bet Championship.
3: 00pm, Saturday 4th October 2025.
The Den Attendance: Attendance17, 865.
Report and free match highlights from the Sky Bet Championship match between Millwall and West Bromwich Albion at The Den on Saturday; Jake Cooper, Femi Azeez and Zak Sturge net in comfortable win for Alex Neil's Lions. Saturday 4 October 2025 18: 30, UK Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player Zak Sturge's first goal for Millwall capped a 3-0 victory over West Brom in the Sky Bet Championship that put their midweek hiding at the hands of Coventry behind them. Lions boss Alex Neil made seven changes in response to his side's third home loss in four games on Wednesday and what he got from his new-look line-up was a vastly improved showing in both boxes. Captain Jake Cooper lifted the mood with his first-half opener and after Femi Azeez's stunning strike doubled their advantage, former Chelsea youngster Sturge rifled in as West Brom were beaten for just the second time this season. Millwall were almost ahead after 10 minutes when Thierno Ballo's hanging cross was nodded back across goal by Josh Coburn before Cooper's header was clawed away by West Brom goalkeeper Josh Griffiths. But there was no denying the Lions captain in the 18th minute when Cooper was on hand to steer in from close range after Azeez's cross had run beyond Will Smallbone. It was Millwall's first home league goal from open play this season and Azeez soon caused problems again down the right when Sturge could not connect cleanly with his header at the back post. The visitors could perhaps count themselves fortunate to only be one down after half an hour in which they failed to get going, but they started to show signs of growing into the game, albeit without any clear chances to show for it.
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That looked set to change in the 38th minute, but Isaac Price could not quite get on the end of Mikey Johnston's inviting cross from the left. Millwall went into half-time deservedly in front, although they did have a scare early in the second half when Nat Phillips shot wide from Johnston's low ball into the area. In the 56th minute, however, the Lions doubled their lead when Azeez was picked out in space by Billy Mitchell and the winger cut inside before bending in a wonderful shot beyond Griffiths from 25 yards. West Brom boss Ryan Mason brought on Josh Maja and Samuel Iling-Junior with just over an hour gone, with the game threatening to get away from his side. But Millwall put the contest well and truly beyond them in the 72nd minute when Ballo played a lovely ball down the left to put Sturge in behind and the left-back finished superbly into the top corner to open his account for the club. West Brom sub Ousmane Diakite glanced a header wide from Johnston's free-kick with what was his first touch as the visitors searched in vain for a consolation. Millwall's Alex Neil: "We've had some really good performances this year, we just haven't been clinical at times and I think that clinical aspect makes the games look different. "I thought Coventry were clinical against us and that's why the scoreline looked the way it looked, but I thought today we were clinical in good moments. "I thought we were threatening, we got our goals at good times, and then I thought defensively that sort of 4-4-2, more passive block towards the end helped us. "Bear in mind, we've still got the likes of Mass [Luongo] coming back after needing a little bit of a breather, Billy [Mitchell] coming back I thought looked knackered, [Thierno] Ballo coming back, Femi coming back. "So we've still got a lot of lads who I wouldn't say are fully up to speed and then we've obviously got Alfie [Doughty] and Casper [De Norre] coming back. " West Brom's Ryan Mason: "I think it's our worst performance, absolutely, in every element of the game. "It's the first time it's happened this season that I've really felt that so it's tough, it's disappointing, but the players feel it as well, most importantly. "I just think we probably didn't show ourselves anywhere near what we needed to get anything from the game. "I think when we had the ball, we were below par - I think in this type of game, with the wind, with the conditions, with the dry pitch, we needed to show personality and quality and we didn't quite have enough today. "We gave away far too many free-kicks, far too many set-plays, inviting pressure on our box, balls coming in. "Really disappointing because we felt like as the game went on the space would open up, but we just didn't earn the right to get to that point. " The £250, 000 is up for grabs with Super 6, and as always it is completely free to play. Entries by 3pm Saturday.
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