Championship Promotion Playoffs semifinals - Wembley beckons as playoff dreams on the line in decisive second legs
by Thobelani Moyo | by Cydias Aujard
Millwall vs. Hull City: Who's worthy of a place in the final in this high-pressure mental battle?
Millwall were unfortunate not to have secured automatic promotion to the Premier League. The South East London outfit finished third with 43 points and were one point adrift of the desired spot.
All is not lost for the Lions when it comes to seeing their dreams of reaching the Premier League for the first time in their history materialise. The first leg against Hull in the promotion playoff semi-final ended in a goalless draw.
The result was hardly surprising considering their away form leading up to that crucial encounter. They had avoided defeat in nine outings, recording six wins and three draws. Now the big question is, can they get the job done at home and secure an important win?
Home form isn't a problem, with Millwall having won four of their last six EFL Championship home matches (L2). The problem lies with head coach Alex Neil, who has struggled for decent results against Hull City. He has won just one of his last six meetings against this opponent, with the other two fixtures coming during his time in charge of Stoke City.
Neil will need to find a way to turn that record if his side is to come out on top in what will be a historic moment for everyone associated with the club.
Hull City dodged a bullet against Millwall in the first leg of the promotion playoffs semi-finals. If it wasn't for Ryan Leonard's disallowed goal from the opposing team with five minutes left on the clock, they might now be chasing the tie from behind. A goalless draw was the final result in front of their home crowd.
The Tigers could be under pressure on the road, where they've been behind unconvincing displays. They are winless in their last five away games, with three defeats. However, it has been a different showing against Millwall, having avoided defeat in their last four matches, including two consecutive wins.
Southampton vs. Middlesborough: Is home form enough for the Saints to seal the deal?
Immediate return to the Premier League has been Southampton's number one priority for quite some time now. After finishing fourth in the EFL Championship with 80 points to their name, that was enough to secure a place in the promotion playoffs.
The Saints were drawn against Middlesbrough in the first leg of the promotion playoffs semi-finals. Luckily for them, they escaped what could have been the worst-case scenario: defeat.
Instead of resembling a side eager for promotion, they looked disjointed and uninspired. The first leg result ended in a goalless draw. Head coach Tonda Eckert will be demanding a far more convincing display from his side in the return, especially at home. Currently, they are slight favorites with the best online betting sites to seal the deal.
St. Mary's Stadium has been Southampton's stronghold this season, having avoided defeat in 12 matches across all competitions, including their shock 2-1 win over Arsenal in the FA Cup quarter-finals on April 4th. Hopefully, familiar surroundings, this time around, can inspire a memorable performance.
Middlesbrough, considered to be one of the Premier League's founding teams, are seeking a return to the top flight after a nine-year absence.
If we are being honest, it appears as if they've shot themselves in the foot after their display in the first leg. Boro should already be in a much stronger position with a clear advantage at this stage, but their lack of cutting edge in the final third turned out to be their undoing in a goalless draw in front of their home crowd.
Check out a comparison of Middlesbrough's first leg stats against Southampton:
| Middlesborough | Stats | Southampton |
|---|---|---|
| 1.82 | Expected goals (xG) | 0.58 |
| 63% | Ball possession | 37% |
| 21 | Total Shots | 6 |
| 5 | Shots on target | 0 |
| 6 | Big chances | 1 |
| 11 | Corner Kicks | 1 |
| 85% (481/568) | Passes | 78% (257/328) |
| 0 | Yellow cards | 2 |
As we can see from the table above, Kim Hellberg's charges were the dominant side in their outing against Southampton. Their performance in the first half was more convincing, with 17 shots on goal, four of which were on target, limiting their opponents' scoring chances to virtually none. Possession-wise, they edged it with 76% in their favor and created chances worth 1.39 xG.
Middlesbrough are on the road, hoping to get the job done. It's possible they can stretch this tie to extra time, considering their hard-to-break-down nature in away matches, particularly against Southampton, drawing the last two games by a 1-1 scoreline. In the EFL Championship, they've drawn their last four and are unbeaten in six.
