Millwall hit back from a two-goal deficit for the second time in four days to snatch a point from a 2-2 draw with Swansea, with two own goals in added time wiping out the hosts’ seemingly-impregnable lead.
Ryan Manning scored the first goal for Swansea inside a minute and Michael Obafemi made it 2-0 after 12 minutes.
Then in a frantic finish, own goals from Swansea defenders Ben Cabango and Nathan Wood in the third and fifth minutes of added time turned what looked like a home win into a draw.
Ahead of the game, the crowd gave a round of applause in memory of former Swansea midfield player Lenny Johnrose, who died on Monday after a lengthy battle with motor neurone disease.
It took just a minute for the Swansea players to pay their tribute with the opening goal of the game.
Millwall failed to clear the ball in their area and a header from Olivier Ntcham allowed Manning to hammer home to give the home side the perfect start and notch the first goal of the season at the Swansea.Com Stadium.
There was no let-up from Russell Martin’s men after that blistering start and Joel Latibeaudiere had a gilt-edged chance to double the lead four minutes later after Bartosz Bialkowski had parried a shot from Ntcham into his path. Unfortunately for Latibeaudiere, he could not quite get on top of the ball and his touch went over from five yards out.
Millwall saw very little of the ball, but showed they carried a threat when Jamie Shackleton fired against the crossbar in the 10th minute.
Unperturbed, Swansea regained possession and the excellent Kyle Naughton carried the ball deep into the Lions’ half before picking out Obafemi on the edge of the box. He transferred the ball from his left to his right foot before smashing the ball into the left corner to double the lead.
The rest of the half was complete domination from the home side, who enjoyed 79% possession in the opening 25 minutes and 66% over the course of the first period as they sought to build on their win at Blackpool.
Millwall’s frustration led to eight fouls and two yellow cards, to Tyler Burey and Billy Mitchell, while a challenge by Murray Wallace on Latibeaudiere led to him leaving the field on a stretcher midway through the half with a suspected dislocated shoulder.
The Lions livened up in the second half and had two appeals for penalties for handball – but both were waved away as they attempted to back up their heroics against Coventry last weekend, when they hit back from a two-goal deficit to win 3-2.
Then came the dramatic ending as they hit back with those two late strikes, with a bit of help from the home defence.
After Danny McNamara’s cross had been turned into his own net by Cabango, Wood – under pressure at the back post – did likewise to gift the Lions a point.
