Millwall lost 3-2 at home to Watford in their opening match but the pre‑match tributes to their goalkeeper Matija Sarkic, who died aged 26 in June, put the defeat into perspective. Neil Harris, the Millwall manager, described it as “an emotionally difficult today”.
Watford went 2-0 up thanks to goals from Edo Kayembe and Giorgi Chakvetadze either side of the break but were pegged back by a Duncan Watmore double late on that looked to see the spoils shared. But Mileta Rajovic popped up in the 90th minute to grab a dramatic winner for Tom Cleverley’s side.
Harris said: “I don’t think we settled very well at the start. We looked very emotional in our decision-making and I really understand that – it was tough for all of us today. We went behind to a goal that doesn’t belong in under-12s football, let alone first-team football at the Den.
“I spoke to the boys about a little bit more bravery and second half we were excellent. We played really, really well … Getting back to 2-2 we were bold and brave with the ball. You think here we go, we’ve got the momentum and the place is rocking. I’m just really disappointed with my group for the manner of the third goal as well – it’s really poor by us.”
Carlos Corberán insisted Josh Maja’s brilliant start to the season was only possible because the West Brom striker worked on his fitness during the summer. Maja, who started just once and managed one goal in an injury-hit first season at the Hawthorns, scored a hat-trick as Albion won 3-1 at QPR.
“The last year was unfortunately a very complicated year for him,” Corberan said. “He suffered a very unfair situation in the last year but came back this summer with the mentality to recover this year and to make his best.
“He has been working very hard in pre-season and that’s why today he was able to impact the game. If he hadn’t been working in the way that he was working – when the team had holidays, he was working a lot – it would have been impossible today to see a performance like the one we saw.”
Michael Carrick was delighted to see Emmanuel Latte Lath get off the mark on the opening day of the Championship season as Middlesbrough beat Swansea 1-0 at the Riverside. The Ivorian became the first Boro player since Brian Clough to score in seven consecutive league games after striking from the spot to beat the Swans. The 25-year-old slammed home his penalty after the impressive Isaiah Jones was fouled by Azeem Abdulai inside the box after 25 minutes.
Carrick said: “It’s pretty obvious to say how important Manu is for us. Manu has done a lot for us over a period of time now since he really got fit. For strikers it’s important to score, it’s a good feeling.”
Tim Walter accepts depleted Hull need reinforcements after the 1-1 at home to Bristol City. Walter looked consigned to defeat in his first game in charge once Fally Mayulu scored after 84 minutes on his Robins debut but Óscar Estupiñán converted an injury-time penalty.
Walter said: “We need more players in, but they will come. My job is to train them hard and to get the best from them. They showed courage and that they have big balls. It is a short time to get so many players in, but we are working hard.”
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Regis Le Bris feels Sunderland can only get better after the Frenchman started his reign with a 2-0 win at Cardiff. Luke O’Nien headed Sunderland in front after 18 minutes before Jack Clarke struck in the 89th minute to ensure the Le Bris era started in style.
“It wasn’t easy to start away, especially here at Cardiff, the game was tough,” Le Bris said. “We started well, I think, and when we scored the goal, the game changed because Cardiff took more risks.”
Stoke started with a 1-0 win against Coventry. The substitute Lewis Baker scored the only goal of the game in the 78th minute. Steve Schumacher, the Stoke manager, said: “I thought that was a Championship game that had everything in it, we played really well in the first half and rubbish for parts of the second and had to soak up pressure, but the result is what we were after and we have to carry that momentum on.”
Oxford returned to the second tier for the first time in 25 years and cruised to a comfortable opening-day victory against Norwich. Mark Harris struck in the 28th minute, cutting inside and shooting low under Angus Gunn after Grant Hanley failed to deal with Ciaran Brown’s long ball. Cameron Brannagan made it 2-0 when he met Sam Long’s low cross from the right with a brilliant first-time strike from 20 yards after 58 minutes.