Tairyk Arconte had already put Millwall ahead when Jose Cordoba picked up his second yellow card of the afternoon, leaving Norwich City to navigate the second half a man short and two goals down at The Den. The dismissal arrived moments after Arconte doubled his tally with a header from a Jake Cooper knockdown at a set-piece, turning what had been a difficult afternoon for the visitors into a crisis. Norwich now face back-to-back Championship defeats to open the season.

Millwall 2-0 Norwich City (half-time)

Arconte's brace arrived in clinical fashion. His first goal gave Millwall the platform; his second, nodded home from a Cooper flick-on at a corner, put the result beyond serious doubt. When Cordoba received his marching orders shortly before the interval, Norwich's hopes of mounting a second-half comeback diminished sharply. Gary Rowett's side have looked compact and dangerous from dead balls, a theme likely to continue against ten men after the break.

For Norwich, the afternoon compounds a miserable start to the campaign. Two defeats in two, and now the psychological burden of playing 45 minutes short-handed. The defensive organisation that underpinned their pre-season has frayed under pressure, and Cordoba's dismissal will trigger an automatic suspension that deepens the selection headache heading into a congested fixture schedule.

Lincoln City 1-2 Portsmouth (half-time)

Portsmouth arrived at Sincil Bank without a confirmed signing before the match, according to manager John Mousinho, yet they lead at the break through a performance that belied any off-pitch uncertainty. Ryan Kavuma-McQueen, a Chelsea loanee, opened the scoring with a confident finish, and Adrian Segecic then bent a free-kick through the wall, a slight deflection deceiving the goalkeeper to make it 2-0. Lincoln pulled one back through a Reeco Hackett penalty, awarded for handball, and will feel the game is still alive entering the second half.

Pompey's ability to score from open play and from set-pieces in the same half suggests John Mousinho's preparation has translated quickly to competitive action. If they hold on, it will be a significant three points for a side whose transfer business has drawn scrutiny throughout August.

Birmingham City 1-1 Bristol City (half-time)

St Andrew's produced the most even contest of the early kick-offs. Scott Twine put Bristol City ahead when he scrambled the ball past James Beadle following a scramble inside the six-yard box, only for Birmingham to respond when a Carlos Vicente shot struck the post and rebounded in off Bristol City goalkeeper Sam Tickle's back. The deflection looped over the line before Tickle could recover. An unfortunate way to concede, but the goal pulled the hosts level and sets up a compelling second half between two sides who will fancy their chances in the top half of the division this season.

The equaliser will lift the St Andrew's crowd after they had threatened to go quiet following Twine's opener. Vicente's persistence in driving at the Bristol City backline has been a recurring theme, and the fortunate nature of the goal should not obscure the pressure Birmingham generated in the 20 minutes before the interval.

The afternoon in context

A full slate of Championship fixtures continues into the afternoon, with Blackburn hosting Middlesbrough, Derby welcoming Cardiff, Preston facing Wolves, QPR taking on Bolton, Southampton meeting Stoke, Swansea entertaining Sheffield United, and Wrexham hosting Watford. West Ham face Charlton in a London derby with implications for both sides' early-season momentum.

The afternoon's results will begin to shape the early Championship table. With so many matches running simultaneously, the picture at 17:00 could look markedly different from how the season started just a week ago.

Frequently asked

What is the score in Millwall vs Norwich City today?
Millwall lead Norwich City 2-0 at half-time at The Den, with Tairyk Arconte scoring twice and Norwich's Jose Cordoba sent off before the break.
What is the score in Lincoln City vs Portsmouth today?
Portsmouth lead Lincoln City 2-1 at half-time at Sincil Bank. Ryan Kavuma-McQueen and Adrian Segecic scored for Pompey, with Reeco Hackett pulling one back from the penalty spot for Lincoln.
What is the score in Birmingham City vs Bristol City today?
It is 1-1 at half-time at St Andrew's. Scott Twine put Bristol City ahead before a Carlos Vicente shot deflected in off goalkeeper Sam Tickle to level for Birmingham.