Millwall Football Club rounded off their pre-season campaign with a 1-0 victory over Belgian side Royal Antwerp at The Den, thanks to Jake Cooper’s decisive 69th-minute header. The Lions, who finished 3rd in the Championship last season with 83 points (24W-11D-11L), controlled much of the game in front of a vocal away following.
What happened in the match?
Jake Cooper rose highest to nod in the only goal of the game on 69 minutes, handing Millwall Football Club a narrow but hard-fought win. Royal Antwerp brought 2,000 travelling fans to South London, creating an atmosphere that manager Alex Neil described as making it 'feel like a proper match.' The Lions’ backline, marshalled by Cooper, held firm to preserve the clean sheet.
Why did the atmosphere stand out?
Alex Neil, speaking to NewsAtDen after the game, singled out Antwerp’s supporters for their energy. 'For a pre-season game, they were brilliant,' he said. 'It got louder when we scored. That’s the first time I’ve seen that.' The noise added intensity to a contest that Neil felt resembled a competitive fixture more than Millwall’s other friendlies, where they’d dominated possession without always finding the net.
What’s next for Millwall Football Club?
With the Championship season approaching, Millwall will look to build on a strong 2025 campaign where they scored 64 goals and conceded 49, finishing 12 points behind leaders Coventry. The win over Antwerp, coupled with the positive atmosphere, provides momentum as Neil’s side prepare for their league opener. Cooper’s header, a trademark from set-pieces, underlines his importance at both ends of the pitch.
