Late Langstaff strike earns Millwall crucial point against Leicester
Macaulay Langstaff scored a 90th-minute equaliser to lift Millwall up to second place in the Championship despite being frustrated by already-relegated Leicester City at a half-empty King Power Stadium according to BBC.
The Lions needed to win to guarantee that they would take their push for automatic promotion to the final day of the season, while a share of the points means Ipswich Town – who will still have a game in hand after this weekend – can leapfrog them and open a gap on Saturday if they beat West Bromwich Albion.
A late header from fit-again Harry Souttar, who was making his first competitive appearance for 16 months after recovering from an Achilles injury, meant Millwall faced staying below Ipswich on their inferior goal difference.
Langstaff, however, got on the end of a flicked pass from Ryan Leonard to ensure Millwall firmly remain in the race for the top two, even if they are not fully in control of their automatic promotion hopes.
Leicester’s support was always expected to be fractious after Tuesday’s relegation, and the inclusion of former England midfielder Harry Winks gave fans someone to target their boos at.
Winks’ foul-mouthed exchange with a fan at last week’s defeat at Portsmouth became a viral moment.
There was, however, room for positivity in Leicester boss Gary Rowett’s selection, with Australia international Souttar making his long awaited comeback after being injured while on loan at Sheffield United in December 2024.
Although there was a sense of resignation about their game against Hull three days earlier, Leicester’s final home match before heading to League One generated little more than apathy as significant pockets of seats were left empty around the ground.
A less than capacity crowd was nothing new this campaign, but the sheer scale in which supporters chose to stay away was a clear message sent by a fanbase that has demanded changes at the club.
A fighting spirit is what they have craved for so long this season, and for that reason the vital block that Hamza Choudhury made on Josh Coburn, as he threatened to break free on goal generated the biggest cheer from home supporters in the first half.
The challenge came at a cost for the visitors with Coburn eventually forced off after suffering an apparent hip injury.
That was the first of many half chances at both ends before the break, with the best of the opportunities smashed into the side netting by Millwall’s Leonard in the 24th minute.
It was not until Foxes goalkeeper Jakub Stolarczyk made a fine reflex save with his legs, denying Mihailo Ivanovic from six yards out in the 51st minute, that either keeper was seriously tested.
And the home shot-stopper outdid himself moments later when he palmed a close-range Thierno Ballo header over the bar.
Souttar, who had not made an appearance for Leicester for 853 days – dating back to when they were last in the Championship – gave the home fans something to cherish when he met Luke Thomas’ cross at the back post.
It looked to be enough to earn the hosts just their second win in more than three months, but substitute Langstaff provided the late, and still potentially season-defining, drama.