Zian Flemming scored a brace to help Milwall produce one of the most comfortable football results of the weekend in the Championship. A fortunate deflection early in the first half helped the summer acquisition from Dutch team Fortuna Sittard before he scored again just after the break for his third goal this week. Middlesbrough is still searching for their first away victory since early April, while Millwall has already collected 15 of their 17 points in the Den this season. After Chris Wilder was fired, Boro is also looking for a new permanent manager since interim manager Leo Percovich was unable to build on Wednesday’s valiant victory over Birmingham.
Dutch playmaker Flemming gave the hosts the lead in the fifth minute after saving a point away at Rotherham on midweek. His low free kick accidentally went into the far corner after clipping the bottom of Middlesbrough’s two-man wall and fooling goalkeeper Zack Steffen. A few minutes later, the 24-year-old might have added a second goal, but he was unable to keep his header down from 10 yards out.
Midway through the first half, Middlesbrough began to play better, which culminated in Matt Crooks shooting an area-bound ball high after a shoddy clearance. And just before halftime, attacker Rodrigo Muniz was mysteriously left unmarked at the back post at a corner, but he, too, was unable to find the back of the net. On the verge of halftime, Tom Bradshaw followed up after Steffen missed a long-range Andreas Voglsammer shot, giving Millwall the opportunity to double their lead.
When replacement Matthew Hoppe shot from a distance but it didn’t concern George Long in the 85th minute, Middlesbrough supporters ironically sang “We’ve got a shot” in response. A minute later, Hoppe headed low from a corner for another attempt on goal. As Boro struggled to find a way to get back into the game, Long did well to turn the ball behind at his near post this time.
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