Millwall's third win in four leaves Stoke buried in mid-table
Millwall's clinical finishing and Stoke's defensive fragility tell the story. Three goals in fifteen minutes killed the contest before half-time was even a memory.
C. Taylor 60'
1–3
C. Neghli 20'F. Azeez 55'J. Coburn 69'
FT21 Apr 20262 min read
Match ReportWritten by MatchDay UK
Millwall came to the Potteries and administered a masterclass in ruthlessness. Stoke City, languishing in 17th and desperate for momentum, offered almost nothing in return. The final scoreline, 3-1, actually flattered the hosts.
Neghli struck first on twenty minutes, catching Stoke cold. Then the afternoon spiralled into chaos. Azeez made it two in the 55th minute, assisted by Ballo, and thirty seconds later Taylor bundled the ball into his own net. Three goals in ninety seconds. Stoke's afternoon was finished before the hour mark; they were merely going through the motions thereafter. Coburn added a fourth in the 69th to complete a demolition job, even if Millwall withdrew into themselves afterwards.
The statistics tell you everything. Millwall had eleven shots inside the box to Stoke's six. They had six shots on goal to Stoke's four. More damning still: Stoke managed just 0.98 expected goals whilst Millwall posted 1.48. The visitors were sharper, smarter, more clinical. Stoke created chances on the counter in the opening twenty minutes and squandered them all. Once Millwall settled, they controlled proceedings. Fifty-four per cent possession for the visitors despite Stoke's eleven corners to one summed up the gulf in class.
