Millwall return to winning ways with narrow victory over Sheffield Wednesday

Femi Azeez scored on his return from injury as Millwall returned to winning ways in the Sky Bet Championship with a 1-0 victory over bottom side Sheffield Wednesday.

After seeing his side spurn a succession of chances after half-time, substitute Azeez’s header earned the Lions their first win in five games as they rose to fourth in the table.

It was not all one-way traffic at The Den, however, as the Owls hit the woodwork twice in the second half as they showed their defeat in the Sheffield derby last Sunday has not completely broken their spirit.

Millwall started slowly, with their first chance coming in the 20th minute when Caleb Taylor headed a good cross by Alfie Doughty wide at the back post.

The Lions then should have gone in front when Tristan Crama laid the ball off for Thierno Ballo whose initial shot was stopped by Owls goalkeeper Ethan Horvath before his follow-up was blocked by Dominic Iorfa.

The visitors almost made them pay when Bailey Cadamarteri’s shot from just outside the area appeared to take a slight deflection ahead of Millwall goalkeeper Max Crocombe turning it behind.

Wednesday skipper Barry Bannan then almost produced a moment of magic in a first half that lacked a spark when his lob from over 40 yards had Crocombe scrambling back before he just about tipped the ball over.

Wednesday could argue they edged the first 45 minutes on chances, with Millwall really needing to up their performance if they were to justify their tag of pre-match favourites.

They had a chance to break the deadlock five minutes after the restart when Doughty’s pass ran for Crama whose bending effort was pushed away by Horvath.

After Millwall striker Mihailo Ivanovic had a goal ruled out for offside, the Owls came within a whisker of going ahead themselves when Harry Amass’ ball low across the area reached Charlie McNeill who rattled his shot against the bar.

The chances were suddenly flowing with Camiel Neghli guilty of shooting wastefully over for the Lions after Ivanovic had rolled the ball into his path.

There was more frustration for the hosts when Luke Cundle skied an effort from six yards out before Taylor’s scrambled effort was cleared off the line by Bannan.

But the breakthrough finally arrived for Millwall in the 71st minute when Doughty’s cross was guided into the bottom corner by a neat header from Azeez.

Wednesday were not out of it yet, however, and they nearly levelled when Jamal Lowe fired a terrific strike that left Crocombe standing but hit the outside of the post.

Ra’ees Bangura-Williams was then the latest Lions player to be denied by Horvath, but the hosts’ second-half profligacy did not prove to be costly.