The lowdown on Millwall 3 Norwich City 1 – Another Ivanovic Den double keeps Lions in Championship play-off hunt

Mihalio Ivanovic struck twice as Millwall put their Good Friday defeat at Blackburn behind them to beat Norwich City 3-1 and keep their season alive for another game at least. Ivanovic’s goals came either side of a Femi Azeez’s header.

Norwich did pull a goal back through Shane Duffy in first-half stoppage time, but it was a very abject performance from a side that has now conceded eight goals in two games over the Easter weekend.

Here is the lowdown on the match.

THE LINE-UPS

Millwall: Evans, Crama, Cooper, Tanganga, Sturge (Leonard 90), Azeez (Emakhu 90), De Norre (Wintle 81), Saville, Cundle (Connolly 87), Ivanovic (Langstaff 87), Coburn.

Subs not used: Przewozny, Kelly, Harding, Matthews

Stoke City: Reyes, Stacey, Duffy, Sainz (Gibbs 61), Sargent, Marcondes (Hernandez 62), Wright (Sorensen 81), McLean, Nunez (Doyle 71), Schwartau (Ben Slimane 62), Cordoba.

Subs not used: Long, McConville, Forson, Jones.

SNAPSHOT OF THE GAME

Millwall took the lead in the eighth minute, Ivanovic netting his tenth league goal of the campaign – although he won’t have known too much about it, Femi Azeez’s fierce cross coming off the Serbian’s knees and landing perfectly in the bottom corner. It got better for the Lions in the 39th minute, George Saville’s free-kick was headed in by Azeez to put the home side in a commanding position. However, in first half stoppage time, Norwich pulled one back – Duffy heading past Lions stopper George Evans from a corner. Ivanovic headed in his second and Millwall’s third of the afternoon from Saville’s corner.

TACTICAL APPROACH

Alex Neil made three changes to the side that lost 4-1 at Blackburn on Good Friday. Japhet Tanganga, Luke Cundle and Zak Sturge all came into the side in place of Ryan Leonard, Wes Harding and George Honeyman. Neil stuck with 4-4-2 as the Lions still had a mathematical chance of a play-off place. It was a commanding start from the South Londoners. Azeez, Coburn and Ivanovic were all lively and looking to attack everything that came their way. The use of both Josh Coburn and Ivanovic up top made life tough for the Norwich defence who struggled to cope with the physical aspect brought by both strikers.

STAR MAN

George Saville. Brought back into midfield replacing the injured Billy Mitchell and was outstanding. Set-pieces on point and delivered two perfect balls which Azeez and Ivanovic both benefited from.

BEST MOMENT

Ivanovic’s second goal. It sealed the three points for Millwall. It was also a big sigh of relief that the two-goal cushion was restored and the pressure was lifted as Norwich never really threatened and never forced Lions stopper George Evans into a save.

A TALKING POINT DOWN THE PUB

Is the play-off dream still on?

A crazy Easter Monday in the Championship, which saw the teams in 4th, 5th, 6th and 7th all lose, has once again given Millwall hope of a top six finish. The Lions are three points behind sixth-placed Coventry with just two games to go, although their inferior goal difference means it’s more like a four-point gap. Millwall’s season does go into another game at least. The final home game of the season is on Saturday against a Swansea City side who are bang in form, having won five in a row.

If Millwall can win that, and there is another slip-up from Coventry and Middlesbrough, then the battle will go to the final day when the Lions visit Premier League-bound Burnley.

WHAT THE BOSS HAD TO SAY