Millwall 3-1 Norwich City: Lions revitalise play-off hopes as Mihailo Ivanovic scores twice

Millwall roared back into the play-off race after Mihailo Ivanovic scored twice to sink Norwich 3-1 at The Den.

The Lions' top-six hopes looked to have been dealt a fatal blow when they were thumped 4-1 at Blackburn on Friday.

But Ivanovic's double and Femi Azeez's goal - coupled with the four teams above them all slipping up - leaves Millwall just three points off sixth-placed Coventry with two matches to go.

They went ahead in the eighth minute with their first attack of the match when Tristan Crama swung in a deep cross from the right.

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Azeez collected the ball out on the left and drilled it back across goal, with Ivanovic guiding it in off his shin at the far post.

The Serbian frontman could have had a second when he chased a long ball over the top but he checked his run, allowing Canaries goalkeeper Vicente Reyes to get there first.

Norwich have little left to play for but pride after a distinctly hum-drum season and a run of just one win from their last 10 matches has put them on course for their lowest Championship finish since they were relegated to League One 16 years ago.

But they almost forced an equaliser when Borja Sainz threatened to burst through before cutting back inside and teeing up Josh Sargent, who curled his shot narrowly wide.

Instead, Millwall doubled their lead six minutes before half-time after Jose Cordoba fouled Josh Coburn out on the right.

George Saville's deep, inswinging free-kick was glanced home by winger Azeez for only his second Championship goal of the season.

But Norwich grabbed a lifeline in first-half stoppage time when Shane Duffy met Jacob Wright's corner with a powerful header into the net.

Millwall came out on the attack after the break with Saville firing just wide from the edge of the box and Azeez crashing an angled drive into the side-netting.

Luke Cundle looked certain to score in the 55th minute as the ball dropped over his shoulder eight yards out but City skipper Kenny McLean came out of nowhere to make a goal-saving challenge.

Crama twice headed wide from Saville free-kicks and when Coburn nodded a third one in at the near post, he was flagged for offside.

But their pressure told in the 69th minute when Ivanovic got his head to a Saville corner and this time it flew in to secure what could be a crucial three points.

The managers

Millwall's Alex Neil:

"Every time we've suffered a setback the response has been emphatic and I thought today that was one of our best performances.

"We were the dominant team throughout the match and Norwich are a good side who carry a threat and we had to deal with that.

"We've had loads of injuries to contend with but we've dusted ourselves down and got on with it.

"You can say a lot's got to happen, but a lot happened today.

"We've got to win the next game and take it to the final game. Stranger things have happened in football."

Norwich's Johannes Hoff Thorup:

"We had a great start but then conceded with the first half-chance of the game and then there is pressure.

"There were some good things for us. We had opportunities. There were moments but not enough.

"We are struggling and finding things difficult at the moment and I can promise we will do everything we can."

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