On a thrilling night at The Den, Hull City booked their ticket to the EFL Championship play-off final with a composed 2-0 victory over Millwall, completing a semi-final triumph that showcased the Tigers' ruthless edge in front of goal.
While Millwall dominated possession with 66% of the ball and created chances from set pieces—registering 10 shots and five on target—they simply couldn't convert their control into goals. Hull, by contrast, were clinical when it mattered most, firing 14 shots (seven on target) and earning eight corners, with an expected goals tally of 1.87 compared to Millwall's 1.04.
The deadlock was broken in the 64th minute when Mohamed Belloumi emerged as the hero, lashing a precise strike from the right side of the box into the far left corner after a clever setup from Matt Crooks. That goal shifted the momentum decisively, silencing the home crowd and putting Hull in the driver's seat.
Any hopes of a Millwall comeback were extinguished in the 79th minute when Joe Gelhardt finished off a swift counter-attack, slotting home from the center of the box into the right corner after Belloumi turned provider with a well-timed assist. Two clinical finishes were all Hull needed, while Millwall's frustration grew despite their territorial dominance.
For the hosts, Anthony Patterson, Jake Cooper, Tristan Crama, Zak Sturge, Ryan Leonard, Thierno Ballo, Derek Mazou-Sacko, Casper De Norre, Camiel Neghli, Femi Azeez, and Josh Coburn all played their part but couldn't find the breakthrough. Hull's lineup featured Ivor Pandur, Lewie Coyle, Charlie Hughes, John Egan, Semi Ajayi, Ryan Giles, Regan Slater, Matt Crooks, Oliver McBurnie, Kyle Joseph, and Liam Millar—a squad that showed grit and precision when it counted.
Hull had early chances to extend their lead, with John Egan heading over the bar from a Regan Slater corner and Charlie Hughes sending a header wide from a similar delivery. But Belloumi's moment of magic and Gelhardt's cool finish were all that was needed to seal a memorable night and a trip to Wembley.
