Piroe nets twice as Leeds win at Millwall

Published on: 17 September 2023

Joel Piroe has scored three goals in as many games for Leeds United since joining from Swansea City last month

Joel Piroe's double helped Leeds United to a 3-0 victory at Millwall as the Whites registered their second win of the Championship season.

The Dutch striker rounded off a slick counter-attack to open the scoring in the 15th minute, finishing low across Lions keeper Bartosz Bialkowski and into the bottom right-hand corner.

The hosts claimed a foul on Kevin Nisbet in the build-up before Georginio Rutter swept upfield and exchanged passes with Wilfried Gnonto before feeding Piroe in the box.

Leeds had their second with 13 minutes left when Piroe tapped in from close range after Dan James stumbled in attempting to convert Rutter's cut-back, with the latter finishing emphatically from 15 yards to wrap it up late on.

    Relive Leeds United's win at Millwall as it happened

With influential midfielder Zian Flemming dropped to the bench, Millwall offered little in reply - although Ryan Longman and Tom Bradshaw tested visiting goalkeeper Illan Meslier either side of half-time when the score was 1-0.

Leeds move up to 10th in the Championship, two points off the play-offs, after winning at The Den for the first time since March 2012 while Millwall are 18th following a third defeat in five league outings.

Whites oozing class in attackGeorginio Rutter impressed for Leeds, having a hand in the first two goals before scoring the third

Piroe netted 41 league goals over the course of his two-year spell at Swansea and has settled in quickly since his move to Elland Road last month for a fee reported to be more than £10m.

Having held on to Gnonto and Crysencio Summerville during the summer transfer window - and with Rutter playing with confidence - Leeds look to have the threat up front to mount a promotion challenge as boss Daniel Farke seeks an immediate return to the Premier League.

Millwall dominated the opening period in front of a raucous home crowd, with Jake Cooper and Allan Campbell having efforts blocked, but fell behind to a swift and perfectly executed move from the visitors.

The Lions first claimed a penalty for handball against Luke Ayling - who was lying prone in the area but controlled the ball with his head - and then a foul on Nisbet by Piroe, but Archie Gray fed Rutter and the Frenchman progressed into the Millwall half before finding Gnonto on the left hand side.

Gnonto returned the ball to Rutter, who slipped in Piroe and the striker controlled with the outside of his right boot before sliding his low finish past Bialkowski.

Leeds came close to a second when Summerville clipped an effort across goal from a narrow angle on the right hand side of the box, and soon after Longman called Meslier into a diving save with a curling shot from just inside the area.

Bradshaw sent a snapshot straight at the Leeds keeper right after the restart, but the second half saw few clear-cut openings until Leeds netted twice in the space of five minutes to make it a miserable afternoon for Gary Rowett's Millwall.

    Line-upsMatch StatsLive Text

Line-upsMillwall

Formation 3-1-4-2

33Bialkowski18Leonard5Cooper3M Wallace8Mitchell17Norton-Cuffy14Campbell24De Norre11Longman9Bradshaw7Nisbet

    33Bialkowski18Leonard5Cooper3M Wallace8MitchellSubstituted forSavilleat 84'minutes17Norton-Cuffy14CampbellSubstituted forEsseat 64'minutes24De NorreSubstituted forFlemmingat 64'minutes11LongmanSubstituted forEmakhuat 73'minutes9Bradshaw7NisbetSubstituted forWatmoreat 64'minutes

Substitutes

    2McNamara10Flemming19Watmore22Emakhu23Saville25Esse27Trueman45Harding46Adom-Malaki

Leeds

Formation 4-2-3-1

1Meslier2Ayling14Rodon21Struijk25Byram22Gray4Ampadu10Summerville7Piroe29Gnonto24Rutter

    1Meslier2Ayling14Rodon21Struijk25Byram22GraySubstituted forGruevat 89'minutes4Ampadu10SummervilleSubstituted forJamesat 69'minutes7PiroeSubstituted forKamaraat 83'minutes29GnontoSubstituted forAnthonyat 69'minutes24RutterSubstituted forGelhardtat 89'minutes

Substitutes

    5Cresswell8Kamara12Anthony17Shackleton20James27Poveda28Darlow30Gelhardt44Gruev

Referee:Chris KavanaghAttendance:17,909Match StatsHome TeamMillwallAway TeamLeedsPossessionHome48%Away52%ShotsHome12Away14Shots on TargetHome3Away3CornersHome8Away9FoulsHome13Away9Live Text Post update

Match ends, Millwall 0, Leeds United 3.

90'+6'Full Time

Second Half ends, Millwall 0, Leeds United 3.

90'+5'Post update

Corner, Leeds United. Conceded by George Saville.

90'+5'Post update

Attempt blocked. Jaidon Anthony (Leeds United) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked.

90'+4'Post update

Daniel James (Leeds United) wins a free kick in the attacking half.

90'+4'Post update

Foul by Zian Flemming (Millwall).

90'+2'Post update

Ethan Ampadu (Leeds United) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

90'+2'Post update

Foul by Aidomo Emakhu (Millwall).

90'+1'Post update

Attempt missed. Aidomo Emakhu (Millwall) right footed shot from outside the box is too high. Assisted by Romain Esse following a corner.

90'Post update

Corner, Millwall. Conceded by Ethan Ampadu.

90'Post update

Foul by Ilia Gruev (Leeds United).

90'Post update

Aidomo Emakhu (Millwall) wins a free kick in the attacking half.

89'Substitution

Substitution, Leeds United. Ilia Gruev replaces Archie Gray.

89'Substitution

Substitution, Leeds United. Joe Gelhardt replaces Georginio Rutter.

87'Post update

Attempt missed. Joe Rodon (Leeds United) header from the right side of the six yard box misses to the right. Assisted by Daniel James with a cross following a corner.

86'Post update

Corner, Leeds United. Conceded by Murray Wallace.

86'Post update

Attempt blocked. Jaidon Anthony (Leeds United) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Glen Kamara.

86'Post update

Attempt blocked. Duncan Watmore (Millwall) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked.

84'Substitution

Substitution, Millwall. George Saville replaces Billy Mitchell.

83'Substitution

Substitution, Leeds United. Glen Kamara replaces Joël Piroe.

Page 1 of 6rewindpreviousNavigate to the next pagenextNavigate to the last pageforward

Source: bbc.com

This website uses cookies to ensure you get the best experience on our website.
Learn more