Sheffield United’s push for automatic promotion from the Championship suffered a major blow as Millwall claimed a hard-fought 1-0 victory at Bramall Lane, courtesy of Josh Coburn’s powerful early strike.
The 22-year-old forward smashed home the only goal of the game in the 21st minute, giving the Lions a crucial win that keeps them firmly in the hunt for a play-off place. It was Coburn’s sixth goal of the season — five of which have come on the road — and it capped a strong first-half display by the visitors.
Blades Blunted as Millwall Dig In
Despite enjoying 65% possession and mustering 25 shots, Chris Wilder’s men lacked the cutting edge required to break down a resolute Millwall defence. The absence of Japhet Tanganga in the back line did not show as Alex Neil’s side battled tenaciously to preserve their advantage.
Jesurun Rak-Sakyi was introduced at half-time and immediately gave United more attacking thrust. The Crystal Palace loanee turned smartly in the area but rolled his shot narrowly wide. There were further opportunities for Ben Brereton Diaz and Tom Cannon, but Lukas Jensen was equal to everything the Blades threw at him.
“We’ve had 25 shots but really when you’re looking for that little bit of quality that you need, when we got into those positions we never really found it and fair play to Millwall,” said Blades boss Chris Wilder.
Millwall might have added to their lead had Mihailo Ivanovic made better use of a golden chance midway through the second half. Played in by Coburn on the break, the Serbian opted to shoot for the first time with the goal at his mercy, producing a tame effort that Michael Cooper saved comfortably.
In the dying stages, United continued to press, and substitute Tom Cannon forced Jensen into a fine save. Rak-Sakyi had one last opening but couldn’t find the finish, while defender Tristan Crama nearly turned into his own net under pressure, only for Jensen to again come to the rescue.
The result leaves Sheffield United two points behind Leeds United and Burnley, who both picked up points on Tuesday. Meanwhile, Millwall now sit just three points behind sixth-placed Middlesbrough with five games to play — and have beaten all three top-two contenders this season.
Writer’s View
United were punished for their inefficiency in the final third. Despite dominating possession and territory, the decisive moments went against them — again. Millwall were disciplined and opportunistic, two traits that could yet carry them into the play-offs. For the Blades, the worry is that their momentum may be slipping at the worst possible time.
