Match Recap: Millwall end Leeds United’s undefeated streak with a 1-0 win

Millwall was able to do what no other team has done so far this season, beat Leeds United as they walked away with a 1-0 victory against the Championship leaders Leeds United.

Millwall had an early goal disallowed after McLaughlin was able to get free and get a shot onto goal that Wiedwald did poorly to cover. Steve Morison got to the ball before any of the Leeds defenders and slammed the ball home, but he was ruled to be in an off-side position in the 7th minute.

Play was stopped for objects-thrown-on-the-pitch reasons, because Millwall, in the 11th minute and another fine attacking play, almost the same play as from the disallowed goal but Morison was not able to get to the ball soon followed.

Leeds looked a little out of sorts in the first twenty minutes with the best attacking pressure from the Whites coming on a corner kick that was dealt well by the Millwall keeper Archer.

Millwall had another good chance in the 28th minute, but Wiedwald was able to paw it away to be cleared away, but Leeds continued to struggle to get any consistent pressure going in the Millwall half as Millwall seemed content to simply bomb the ball towards the Leeds penalty box at every opportunity.

Leeds endured some more pressure at the end of the first half, as Millwall had a free kick followed by a pair of corners that had to be dealt with by the Leeds defence. A long shot was saved well by Wiedwald and then Millwall was able to pile on some more pressure before Leeds was let off the hook by the half-time whistle.

Not surprising to see a change in the side, but Vurnon Anita was caught out a number of times on the left with McLaughlin and Wallace showing a lot of attacking pressure. Perhaps TC thought that Dallas would provide a bit more help down the left than Hernandez would.

Millwall continued their dominant form in the first parts of the second half, forcing Wiedwald into a number of fine saves, including a very good save with his feet as Millwall looked bound to score from a corner kick that wasn’t cleared especially well by the Leeds defence.

Leeds had a dangerous free kick in the 53rd minute, but Phillips’ header went just wide at the back post from Dallas’ well-placed kick. Millwall had a chance from a freekick in the 58th minute and the resulting scrum ended up with a Wallace shot bouncing off the post. Wallace continued his good form for the hosts and put more pressure on the Leeds defence before losing the ball.

And while Leeds had some chances going foward, the 70th minute featured another good save from Wiedwald. Saiz came off for Grot in the 71st minute as it appeared that Christiansen put another big striker on the pitch as the middle was constantly clogged.

And right after Grot was introduced, Leeds finally gave up the clean sheet streak as Millwall finally broke down the Leeds defence and scored a goal as there were too many blue shirts in the box to deal with and Wiedwald could do nothing about the shot from O’Brien.

Pontus Jansson had to come off in the 82nd minute due to injury so Leeds were forced to chase the game with only ten men in the last ten minutes. Lasogga almost got to a ball in the box, but it was just out of reach for the big German. Leeds always looked second best throughout the entire game, as Millwall copied Preston’s game plan in dealing with the Leeds attackers by physically dominating the Leeds players and not allowing the Whites time and space on the ball.

Millwall would have felt unlucky to have not found a goal after all of the pressure that they heaped onto the Leeds box for almost all of the match, and Leeds looked disjointed and out of sorts almost the entire match, unable to deal with the physical, long ball tactics from Millwall.

Leeds have little time to regroup, as they face Premier League side Burnley in the League Cup on Tuesday and will see old “friends” Charlie Taylor and Chris Wood.

So while Leeds fans will be disappointed in the result, it’s best for the team to just put the match behind them and focus on Burnley and Ipswich Town coming up next week.

MOT