Hull Triumphs Over Millwall in Championship Playoff Semi Final One Win from Premier League Return
This result also preserved Millwalls long standing perfect record of defeats in home legs of Championship playoffs.
Although Millwall entered the match on an unbeaten streak of six games including four victories on home soil out of their last six they faced early pressure from Hull who aimed to repeat their playoff triumphs from 2008 and 2016.
Several corners came to nothing for the visitors yet Charlie Hughes came close to opening the scoring with a header that skimmed the far left post. Millwall breathed easy and considering Hulls seven goals in the first 15 minutes of away league matches during the season more than any team except league champions Coventry the home side were fortunate to remain level.
Following Hughess near miss Millwall started to build attacks more assertively and Femi Azeez nearly gave them the lead just two minutes on during their initial threatening move from a tight angle.
The Lions controlled much of the rest of the opening period and after his challenge sidelined Kyle Joseph with an ankle problem Thierno Ballo was inches from scoring when a delivery from the right side narrowly missed his foot.
Twenty of Millwalls 25 home league goals conceded this season occurred after the break and they almost followed that pattern when Hull created a prime opportunity on 48 minutes. Sharp interplay and a strong advance allowed Regan Slater to feed Oli McBurnie but his close range shot was stopped by Tristan Crama. That proved the nearest either team got before the hour with Millwall manager Alex Neil seeking just his second win in seven meetings with Hull opting to make adjustments including bringing on Alfie Doughty.
The Scottish coach soon wished he hadnt as Doughty not fully warmed up failed to stop Hull taking the lead within a minute.
A precise pass from Matt Crooks to Belloumi on the right saw the Algerian cut inside and bend a left footed shot into the far corner beyond Doughty and Anthony Patterson who had lifted the playoff final trophy with Sunderland only last season.
Things could have deteriorated further shortly afterwards when Barry Bannan a veteran of playoff wins in 2010 with Blackpool and 2023 with Sheffield Wednesday lost possession to Belloumi in a dangerous area. He spotted Liam Millar with room but the Canadian saw his effort diverted over by the sharp Jake Cooper.
Coopers intervention mattered little with 12 minutes left though. While Doughtys entry proved costly Joe Gelhardts was outstanding as Belloumi collected the ball wide right and delivered a perfect pass across with the outer edge of his boot.
Gelhardt chose his target well rifling into the bottom right corner even though Patterson managed a touch.
Recovery was impossible and after the disappointment of ending as the highest placed non automatic promotion side earlier this month Millwall face another seasons wait with Premier League status still out of reach since their drop from the top flight in 1990. For Hull the signs are positive having avoided the pain of Championship playoff exits before. Just 12 months after a dramatic last day escape act displaying the same clinical edge at Wembley on 23rd May could propel them against their final opponents with the top division possibly only 90 minutes distant.