Belloumi fires Hull past Millwall into Championship playoff final
Quick summary
Hull City beat Millwall in the Championship playoff semi-final second leg to reach the final. Mohamed Belloumi scored a standout opener before Joe Gelhardt added another as Millwall's playoff semi-final curse continued.
Full article
Attributed to original sourceMillwall’s Championship playoff curse continues. It is now four times they have come within touching distance of reaching the promised land of the Premier League only to fall at the semi-final stage. After defeats in 1991, 1994 and 2002, this one will be especially hard to take given that Alex Neil’s side finished 10 points clear of Hull, narrowly missing out on automatic promotion on the final day. But on a night when Millwall were heavy favourites to make it to Wembley, instead it was Mohamed Belloumi who stole the show for Sergej Jakirovic’s side with a stunning opening goal before fellow substitute Joe Gelhardt rubbed their noses in it.
While the only silver lining for Millwall’s supporters is that it looks like they will get the chance to renew acquaintances with West Ham, whom they last played in 2012, Hull become the first team to finish sixth and reach the playoff final since Frank Lampard’s Derby in 2019 and will fancy their chances of upsetting the odds against whoever they face.
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What happened
Hull City advanced to the Championship playoff final by beating Millwall away in the second leg of the semi-final. Mohamed Belloumi gave Sergej Jakirovic's side the key breakthrough with a superb goal, and substitute Joe Gelhardt later sealed the result. The defeat was especially painful for Millwall, who had finished 10 points above Hull and narrowly missed automatic promotion on the final day. Hull also became the first team since Derby in 2019 to finish sixth and still reach the playoff final.
Chance analysis
This is a significant momentum result for Hull because they overturned pre-match expectations against a stronger regular-season side in a high-pressure knockout setting. Belloumi's decisive contribution and impactful bench options suggest attacking upside and tactical flexibility heading into the final, while Millwall's failure reinforces concerns about converting season-long consistency into playoff success.
Hull gain a meaningful confidence and outlook boost ahead of the playoff final, while Millwall suffer a major promotion setback.
Upgrade Hull's short-term momentum and attacking confidence, while downgrading Millwall in high-leverage knockout contexts.