Millwall 1-1 Sheffield United: Mihailo Ivanovic earns point for Lions
Report and free match highlights from the Sky Bet Championship match between Millwall and Sheffield United at The Den on Saturday; Andre Brooks scores for Blades before Mihailo Ivanovic hits back for Lions.
Saturday 31 January 2026 18:43, UK
Mihailo Ivanovic's poacher's goal earned Millwall a 1-1 draw against Sheffield United, who often looked the better side in this Sky Bet Championship clash at The Den.
The Serbian striker quickly cancelled out Andre Brooks' opener for the Blades, for whom Callum O'Hare missed two glorious opportunities to earn them three points against the play-off-chasing Lions.
Results elsewhere meant being held at home for the first time in four games was not too costly for Millwall, who sit five points clear of seventh-placed Derby.
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The first big chance went Millwall's way in the ninth minute when Ivanovic squared the ball for strike partner Macauley Langstaff and Blades goalkeeper Michael Cooper stood strong to make an excellent save.
Sheffield United then broke from the resulting corner, with Gustavo Hamer surging forward before shooting wide from 25 yards.
The opening goal went the visitors' way after 17 minutes when Hamer won the ball off Tristan Crama before finding Brooks who cut inside before his low shot from just outside the box snuck in at the near post.
Their lead lasted just two minutes, however, as the Lions hit straight back when Femi Azeez's free-kick was headed on by Caleb Taylor before Ivanovic stabbed in off the post to equalise.
There was a good, open feel to the game and the Blades almost went ahead again when Hamer played the ball for the onrushing Sam McCallum who smashed a shot into the side netting.
After a nasty-looking injury to McCallum saw him stretchered off, Brooks crossed for Tom Cannon whose header was well saved by Max Crocombe before Callum O'Hare somehow nodded the rebound wide.
Having ended the first half on the back foot, Millwall looked to reassert themselves after the restart, with Azeez bending a shot over after cutting inside from the right.
O'Hare was then guilty of another bad miss in the 61st minute when he was picked out by Femi Seriki's low cross only to miscue completely from only six yards out, allowing the hosts to clear.
But the Blades were unquestionably on top by the midway point of the second half, and it was taking some determined defending from the Lions to hold them at bay.
Barry Bannan, signed from Sheffield Wednesday during the week, was brought on for his Millwall debut - and sent a volley from 25 yards straight at Cooper within seven minutes of doing so.
The match ended with neither side able to find a late winner, with Millwall possibly the happiest to take a share of the points.
The managers
Millwall's Alex Neil:
"It was exactly the type of game I thought it would be. I knew it was going to be competitive, I knew it was going to be two teams really going at it and both trying to score. It was always going to be a case of who could hurt who most.
"I think my frustration at the start of the game was I thought we had the best chance, we didn't take it, then they go up the other end [and score].
"I thought their goal was a good bit of quality for them but disappointing from our point of view, in terms of defending.
"Throughout the game, I thought our right-hand side caused them problems defensively and I thought their right-hand side caused us problems defensively.
"I didn't think there was loads in the game in the second half for either team, the game sort of ebbed and flowed a little bit."
Sheffield United's Chris Wilder:
"I said to them before the game, I always think it's a sign of a good player in the Championship from a mentality point of view if they play well here and if the team plays well here.
"I believe we were coming to arguably the hardest away fixture that we could have at this particular moment with the form that they're in and full house and them flying and winning 4-0 in the last game [against Charlton] and their team in the position that they are and the quality that they've got and how they work for each other.
"I said before I knew what was coming, they mixed the game up, but we went toe-to-toe with them.
"I think there will always be home supporters that won't be happy about the result, but I think, taking the result out of it, was a top game with two good sides going toe-to-toe."
