Millwall 2-1 Bristol City: Post-match review, Stats, Key moments

Dive into Coral’s post-match review of Millwall 2-1 Bristol City in the Championship on Monday, 29 December 2025, with stats, key moments and our take on the match.

Millwall beat Bristol City 2-1 in a hard-fought Championship clash at The Den. The hosts took an early lead when Camiel Neghli fired them ahead in the 16th minute, capitalising on a quick break to give Millwall the edge. Bristol City came out stronger after the break, equalising through Adam Randell in the 49th minute, but Millwall’s persistence paid off with Macaulay Langstaff’s winner in the 81st minute, sealing the points.

This result builds on Millwall’s mixed recent form, which included a draw against Ipswich Town and losses to Blackburn Rovers and Hull City, showing they can grind out wins at home. Bristol City, who had been in decent shape with wins over West Bromwich Albion and Middlesbrough, will be disappointed to let this one slip after dominating spells. It sets up an intriguing next round of fixtures for both sides as they look to climb the table.

Bristol City controlled the ball with 58% possession compared to Millwall’s 42%, which showed in their eight corners against just one for the hosts, suggesting they created more set-piece chances. However, Millwall’s defence held firm despite Bristol City’s 46 successful dribbles to their zero, pointing to a more direct, counter-attacking style that worked in the end. The visitors also recorded one assist, likely for their goal, while Millwall picked up four yellow cards to Bristol City’s one, reflecting a scrappier approach from the home side.

On substitutions, Millwall used all five available, starting with Ryan Leonard replacing Billy Mitchell at half-time, followed by Macaulay Langstaff coming on for Ra’ees Bangura-Williams in the 55th minute and Danny McNamara replacing Aidomo Emakhu a minute later. They made a double change in the 73rd minute with Thierno Ballo for Alfie Doughty and Joe Bryan for Zak Sturge. Bristol City made three changes, bringing on Neto Borges for Rob Atkinson and Emil Riis for Sinclair Armstrong in the 66th minute, then Yu Hirakawa for Scott Twine late in the 88th.

The game sparked into life early when Camiel Neghli put Millwall ahead in the 16th minute with a well-taken goal, but the hosts had to weather some pressure, picking up yellow cards for Alfie Doughty, Zak Sturge, and Tristan Crama before the break. Bristol City levelled things up shortly after the restart in the 49th minute, with Adam Randell scoring from a Ross McCrorie assist to shift the momentum. Millwall’s substitutions proved crucial, especially when Macaulay Langstaff came on and grabbed the decisive 81st-minute winner, though Thierno Ballo saw yellow soon after, and Bristol City’s late changes couldn’t turn the tide.

Millwall lined up in a solid 4-2-3-1 formation, with Camiel Neghli providing creativity in attack and Macaulay Langstaff making a key impact after coming on as a substitute. The backline featured players like Zak Sturge and Tristan Crama, who were involved in the action with bookings, while midfield partnerships helped them absorb pressure and launch counters. Substitutes such as Ryan Leonard and Danny McNamara added fresh legs to maintain their defensive shape.

Bristol City set up in a 3-4-2-1 shape, allowing wing-backs like Ross McCrorie to contribute going forward, as seen in his assist for Adam Randell’s goal. The system suited their possession-based play, with Scott Twine in an advanced role before being replaced late on by Yu Hirakawa. Defenders like Rob Atkinson held the line until his substitution for Neto Borges, who picked up a yellow card soon after entering.

Coral’s Man of the Match goes to Adam Randell, who stood out for Bristol City despite the defeat. He netted their only goal, made two key passes, and showed real energy in midfield, even if he didn’t create any big chances or assists beyond that. His performance kept the visitors in the game and highlighted why he’s a player to watch.

Recent Championship matches:

• Win: 2-1 vs Bristol City (H)
• Draw: 0-0 vs Ipswich Town (H)
• Loss: 0-2 vs Blackburn Rovers (A)
• Loss: 1-3 vs Hull City (H)
• Draw: 1-1 vs Derby County (A)

Recent Championship matches:

• Loss: 1-2 vs Millwall (A)
• Win: 2-1 vs West Bromwich Albion (A)
• Win: 2-0 vs Middlesbrough (H)
• Loss: 0-1 vs Coventry City (A)
• Draw: 2-2 vs Leicester City (H)

Millwall have just edged out Bristol City 2-1 at home, a win that keeps them in fifth place on 39 points and builds on a recent form that includes a draw with Ipswich Town but losses to Blackburn Rovers and Hull City. They’ll be looking to push for a play-off spot when they face Southampton next on 1 January 2026 at 15:00, with the visitors sitting 13th on 32 points and likely aiming to close the gap on the top half. It’s a chance for Millwall to string together some consistency and pull further away from the chasing pack.

Bristol City have just fallen to a 2-1 defeat away at Millwall, leaving them eighth on 36 points after a run that featured wins against West Bromwich Albion and Middlesbrough but also a loss to Coventry City. They’ll aim to bounce back against Portsmouth on 1 January 2026 at 15:00, with the hosts down in 21st on 25 points and fighting to avoid the drop. This fixture gives Bristol City an opportunity to regain momentum and stay in the hunt for promotion places.

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