Millwall beat Oxford 2-0 but miss automatic promotion as Ipswich win keeps them in third

Key facts

• Millwall defeated Oxford United 2-0 on the final day of the Championship season.
• Femi Azeez scored both goals for Millwall, the first in the 38th minute and the second early in the second half.
• Ipswich Town beat Queens Park Rangers 3-0 to secure second place and automatic promotion to the Premier League.
• Millwall finished third with 80 points, one point behind Ipswich and one ahead of Middlesbrough.
• Oxford United had already been relegated to League One before the match.
• Millwall will face sixth-placed Hull City in a two-legged play-off semi-final.
• Casper De Norre, who made his 28th Championship appearance this season, expressed excitement about a potential Premier League debut.

Lions' victory not enough as Ipswich hold firm

Millwall did everything required of them on the final day, beating already-relegated Oxford United 2-0 at The Den, but Ipswich Town's 3-0 win over Queens Park Rangers meant the Londoners finished third in the Championship table. Alex Neil's side end the regular season on 80 points, one point adrift of second-placed Ipswich, who clinch automatic promotion to the Premier League. Millwall's hopes of snatching second spot depended on Ipswich dropping points at home to QPR, but the Tractor Boys' comfortable victory extinguished that possibility. The Lions must now turn their attention to the play-offs, where they will face sixth-placed Hull City over two legs.

Azeez double seals dominant display

Millwall dominated from the outset, winning nine corners in the first 30 minutes as Oxford were forced into desperate clearances. The breakthrough came in the 38th minute when Mihailo Ivanovic played in Femi Azeez, who beat his marker and crashed the ball past Jamie Cumming at his near post. Azeez hit the upright four minutes later from a short-corner cross that evaded everyone in the box. Early in the second half, Barry Bannan twisted and turned on the left before laying on a perfect pass to Thierno Ballo, whose low cross from the byline was converted by the unmarked Azeez at the far post. The second goal relaxed the hosts, with Casper De Norre seeing a 52nd-minute long-range effort fly just over, and Camiel Neghli and Ballo having good chances soon after. Millwall continued to control the game, with Ryan Leonard forcing a good save from Cumming and Luke Cundle shooting straight at the goalkeeper.

Oxford's relegation confirmed, poor away form a factor

Oxford United had already been relegated prior to the final day, their fate sealed after a 4-1 victory over basement side Sheffield Wednesday the previous weekend. That win was the club's sixth under Matt Bloomfield, who took over in January and has now suffered back-to-back relegations as a Championship manager. Oxford's season was marked by chronic scoring difficulties: they failed to find the net in 18 of their 45 league matches, a record better only than Sheffield Wednesday. Their away form was the second-worst in the division, collecting just 18 points from 22 matches on the road. At The Den, they offered little attacking threat, with only an early chance from Will Lankshear and a late Mark Harris header that was well saved. The defeat confirmed a return to League One after a single season in the Championship.

De Norre eyes Premier League dream after injury-hit season

Millwall midfielder Casper De Norre, who has made 28 Championship appearances this term despite a groin injury that sidelined him for four matches in March, spoke of his excitement at the prospect of playing in the Premier League. 'When I came to Millwall, I would say in the back of my mind, this is probably my only chance of playing in the Premier League in my career,' he told BBC Radio London. 'I am now 29, I was 26 when I came here. It was always my goal to achieve it through Millwall.' De Norre, who moved from Belgian club OH Leuven in summer 2023, signed a one-year contract extension last month and is studying to become a director of football after retirement. He noted that under manager Alex Neil, the team has taken a step forward, and he feels the trust of the club. 'Even if I just play one game in the Premier League, it would be something amazing, it would be the highlight of my career,' he added.

Play-off path ahead: Hull City await

Millwall will now prepare for a two-legged play-off semi-final against sixth-placed Hull City. The Lions have not played in the top flight for 36 years, and their hopes of ending that drought now rest on navigating the play-offs. Neil's side have won two of their last three games but have lost their final Championship match in four of the past five seasons, though that statistic is now moot. Oxford, meanwhile, will bid farewell to the Championship and begin planning for life in League One under Bloomfield, whose tenure has been challenging. The club's supporters will hope for a swift return, but the squad's struggles in front of goal and on the road will need addressing.

The bottom line

• Millwall finished third in the Championship with 80 points, missing automatic promotion by one point after Ipswich won on the final day.
• Femi Azeez scored twice to secure a 2-0 win over relegated Oxford United, but it was not enough to leapfrog Ipswich.
• Millwall will face Hull City in the play-off semi-finals, with a chance to end a 36-year absence from the Premier League.
• Oxford United were relegated after a season marked by poor away form and frequent failure to score, managing only 18 goals in 22 away matches.
• Casper De Norre, a key midfielder for Millwall, expressed his excitement about a potential Premier League debut, calling it the highlight of his career.
• The play-off semi-finals will determine whether Millwall can achieve promotion, with the final at Wembley later this month.