Millwall 2-0 Cardiff City: Hosts beat Bluebirds o end losing run

Sheyi Ojo of Cardiff City and Murray Wallace of Millwall battle for the ballImage source, Huw Evans picture agency
Image caption,

Cardiff came into this contest one point ahead of Millwall

Millwall ended a run of three straight defeats as they deservedly beat Cardiff City at The Den.

Substitute Charlie Cresswell put Millwall ahead on 63 minutes when he rose highest to head home as Cardiff failed to clear from a corner.

Defender Niels Nkounkou had Cardiff's first shot on target in the 77th minute as their attacking issues persisted.

Millwall made the game safe when Benik Afobe scored in the final minute of normal time with a fine finish.

The win lifts Millwall to 14th, with Cardiff slipping to 21st.

Cardiff, the second lowest scorers in the Championship, again paid the price for their failure to offer more of an attacking threat.

They would have felt confident heading to the capital, with the pressure more on the hosts.

Millwall boss Gary Rowett made just two changes to the side beaten at Burnley, perhaps surprising given the Lions' recent form.

The hosts had failed to score in their previous three matches - all losses - having conceded at least two goals in five of their last six games.

Cardiff boss Steve Morison opted to leave new striker Callum Robinson on the bench as he made two changes to the side beaten by Luton Town, with Romaine Sawyers and Jaden Philogene recalled in place of Joe Ralls and Mark Harris.

Cardiff defender Mahlon Romeo, making his first return to the New Den after leaving Millwall was given a tough time by supporters, who jeered him from his very first touch of the ball.

Zian Flemming produced the first effort on goal after only five minutes, but Ryan Allsop was easily equal to it, before Romeo produced a tantalising cross that three Cardiff players watched drift wide of the far post.

That moment gave an indication of why the Bluebirds are the Championship's joint-lowest scorers with only four goals and they really should have scored on 15 minutes when Philogene headed over after Max Watters' excellent cutback.

A lack of confidence in front of goal was a theme at both ends of the pitch with Flemming failing to find the target on 18 minutes after the ball fell fortuitously for him.

An even better opportunity came and went for the hosts midway through the first half when Andreas Voglsammer failed to get a telling touch on George Saville's excellent cross.

Saville had a big impact on the first half, but his header on 34 minutes was well saved by Allsop, while Callum Styles lashed over when more composure was needed.

However, Cardiff came closest to taking a first half advantage when Sheyi Ojo rattled the outside of the post from close range on 42 minutes after Niels Nkounkou's superb cross.

Ojo and Watters were both replaced at half-time with Robinson handed his debut as Harris was also introduced into the Cardiff attack.

Robinson's first chance in a Cardiff shirt arrived on 51 minutes, but he flashed a shot across goal.

However, Harris almost gave the Bluebirds the advantage when his fine effort smashed against the post on the hour mark.

Cresswell was the player to make the breakthrough when he headed home from Scott Malone's cross.

Cresswell might even have had a second as Allsop was forced into another save, with Millwall managing to test Allsop, in contrast to what was happening at the other end,

It was not until the 77th minute that the Bluebirds managed to have a shot at goal, with Nkounkou's effort saved by Bartosz Białkowski.

Nkounkou was Cardiff's most threatening player, despite the fact he is a defender.

Another defender, Perry Ng, produced Cardiff's second effort on target, but his header from a corner was saved by Białkowski.

Sub Benik Afobe wrapped things up in the final moments as he showed composure to lob the ball past Allsop and make the result safe.

Harris almost scored a late consolation, but he could not match Afobe's composed finish.

Millwall boss Gary Rowett:

"I think it was back to normal service resumed at home.

"Our home form has been excellent. Against Reading it was a little bit of a blip and today I just wanted us to show a little bit of composure and a little bit more bravery on the ball.

"I thought we played around Cardiff really well and it's not easy to do that when you're on the back of three defeats."

Bluebirds boss Steve Morison:

"Against the best in the league at set-plays, it's always going to be a tough ask and we dealt with it, on the whole, pretty well.

"They scored the goal and changed the course of the game, and it was tough for us to come back."

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