SHEFFIELD WEDNESDAY SUBSTITUTE Anthony Musaba scrambled home an 89th-minute winner as Middlesbrough’s Championship play-off hopes were dented by a damaging 2-1 loss at Hillsborough.
Michael Carrick’s men were on course to climb into the top six following Ireland international Finn Azaz’s 11th-minute opener in rain-soaked South Yorkshire, the second successive game where Azaz had scored.
But Josh Windass equalised early in the second half before Musaba earned Wednesday a first home success since New Year’s Day at the death.
Boro blew a big chance to double their advantage when Tommy Conway’s penalty was saved by Owls goalkeeper Pierce Charles in the 22nd minute.
Victory would have lifted the visitors to sixth place on goal difference, but they remain three points adrift of Coventry, who were beaten at relegation-threatened Plymouth, with only two games to go.
Shane Duffy scored as Norwich City were defeated 3-1 by Millwall today, the home roaring back into the play-off race after Mihailo Ivanovic scored twice at The Den.
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Ivanovic’s double and Femi Azeez’s goal – coupled with the four teams above them all slipping up – leaves Millwall just three points off sixth-placed Coventry with two matches to go.
Ivanovic put Millwall ahead and they doubled their lead six minutes before half-time after George Saville’s deep, inswinging free-kick was glanced home by winger Azeez for only his second Championship goal of the season.
Norwich grabbed a lifeline in first-half stoppage time when Duffy met Jacob Wright’s corner with a powerful header into the net.
In the 69th minute Ivanovic got his head to a Saville corner for Millwall and this time it flew in to secure what could be a crucial three points.
Resurgent Swansea made it five consecutive Championship wins by beating QPR 2-1 and further boosting Athlone native Alan Sheehan’s chances of taking permanent charge.
Sheehan has now presided over seven wins and just two defeats from his 11 matches at the helm since taking over as caretaker boss, following the sacking of Luke Williams in February.
It would have been five clean sheets in a row had Karamoko Dembele not pulled a goal back for Rangers, with the west London side’s first effort on target.
Morgan Fox’s 29th-minute own goal put Swansea in front and Harry Darling doubled the score early in the second half for the Welsh side, who were only six points clear of the drop zone just over a month ago.
They will end the season much closer to the play-offs than relegation places as they currently sit just six points away from the top six.
Swansea City Head Coach Alan Sheehan (file photo). Alamy Stock Photo
Alamy Stock Photo
Swansea fans at Loftus Road made it clear they wanted Sheehan to take the job full-time, but the interim manager said: “Let’s see what happens. It’s not a given. We’ll see.
“If they want me to be the guy, we’ll have a conversation. It’s not a definite yes, it’s not a definite no. We need to be aligned as a football club.
“Looking forward, what are the expectations? Obviously we’re on an incredible run – five wins in a row in the Championship is very good – but ultimately I can’t really answer that.
“I’ll have a conversation with the ownership at the end of the season and see where we’re at. It’s got to be aligned; what I want, what they want, to move this club forward.”
QPR barely threatened before substitute Dembele netted after being set up by Nicolas Madsen.
“Very happy. For 70 minutes of the game we totally controlled it,” said Sheehan.
“The game was taking place in their half and if I’m being over-critical, I’d probably say we should have killed the game.
“But the momentum is very strong and credit to the players. I’m really happy with a lot of elements of the game today.”
In Laeague One, James McClean scored as Wrexham won 2-1 away against Blackpool. They are in second place, two points clear of Wycombe, with two games to go in the chase to get promoted alongside table-toppers Birmingham City.
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Finn Azaz scores as Middlesbrough play-off hopes hit, Shane Duffy on target for Norwich
Results – Championship
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SHEFFIELD WEDNESDAY SUBSTITUTE Anthony Musaba scrambled home an 89th-minute winner as Middlesbrough’s Championship play-off hopes were dented by a damaging 2-1 loss at Hillsborough.
Michael Carrick’s men were on course to climb into the top six following Ireland international Finn Azaz’s 11th-minute opener in rain-soaked South Yorkshire, the second successive game where Azaz had scored.
But Josh Windass equalised early in the second half before Musaba earned Wednesday a first home success since New Year’s Day at the death.
Boro blew a big chance to double their advantage when Tommy Conway’s penalty was saved by Owls goalkeeper Pierce Charles in the 22nd minute.
Victory would have lifted the visitors to sixth place on goal difference, but they remain three points adrift of Coventry, who were beaten at relegation-threatened Plymouth, with only two games to go.
Shane Duffy scored as Norwich City were defeated 3-1 by Millwall today, the home roaring back into the play-off race after Mihailo Ivanovic scored twice at The Den.
Ivanovic’s double and Femi Azeez’s goal – coupled with the four teams above them all slipping up – leaves Millwall just three points off sixth-placed Coventry with two matches to go.
Ivanovic put Millwall ahead and they doubled their lead six minutes before half-time after George Saville’s deep, inswinging free-kick was glanced home by winger Azeez for only his second Championship goal of the season.
Norwich grabbed a lifeline in first-half stoppage time when Duffy met Jacob Wright’s corner with a powerful header into the net.
In the 69th minute Ivanovic got his head to a Saville corner for Millwall and this time it flew in to secure what could be a crucial three points.
Resurgent Swansea made it five consecutive Championship wins by beating QPR 2-1 and further boosting Athlone native Alan Sheehan’s chances of taking permanent charge.
Sheehan has now presided over seven wins and just two defeats from his 11 matches at the helm since taking over as caretaker boss, following the sacking of Luke Williams in February.
It would have been five clean sheets in a row had Karamoko Dembele not pulled a goal back for Rangers, with the west London side’s first effort on target.
Morgan Fox’s 29th-minute own goal put Swansea in front and Harry Darling doubled the score early in the second half for the Welsh side, who were only six points clear of the drop zone just over a month ago.
They will end the season much closer to the play-offs than relegation places as they currently sit just six points away from the top six.
Swansea fans at Loftus Road made it clear they wanted Sheehan to take the job full-time, but the interim manager said: “Let’s see what happens. It’s not a given. We’ll see.
“If they want me to be the guy, we’ll have a conversation. It’s not a definite yes, it’s not a definite no. We need to be aligned as a football club.
“Looking forward, what are the expectations? Obviously we’re on an incredible run – five wins in a row in the Championship is very good – but ultimately I can’t really answer that.
“I’ll have a conversation with the ownership at the end of the season and see where we’re at. It’s got to be aligned; what I want, what they want, to move this club forward.”
QPR barely threatened before substitute Dembele netted after being set up by Nicolas Madsen.
“Very happy. For 70 minutes of the game we totally controlled it,” said Sheehan.
“The game was taking place in their half and if I’m being over-critical, I’d probably say we should have killed the game.
“But the momentum is very strong and credit to the players. I’m really happy with a lot of elements of the game today.”
In Laeague One, James McClean scored as Wrexham won 2-1 away against Blackpool. They are in second place, two points clear of Wycombe, with two games to go in the chase to get promoted alongside table-toppers Birmingham City.
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