A Tairyk Arconte double and a Jose Cordoba red card have left Norwich City in deep trouble at The Den, while Portsmouth carry a slender lead into the break at Sincil Bank. Here is how the Championship's early fixtures look at the midway point.
Millwall 2-0 Norwich City
Arconte put the game beyond Norwich's reach before half-time, heading home his second of the afternoon from a Jake Cooper knockdown at a set-piece to make it 2-0. His opener had already shifted the momentum inside the Den, and the visitors' afternoon deteriorated further when centre-back Jose Cordoba collected a second yellow card to leave them with ten men. Norwich are staring at a second league defeat in as many fixtures, which will pile pressure on their defensive structure and set-piece organisation from the first full week of the season.
Lincoln City 1-2 Portsmouth
Portsmouth arrived at Sincil Bank carrying injury concerns ahead of this fixture, but their attacking threat proved sharper than Lincoln's defence could handle. Young Chelsea loanee Ryan Kavuma-McQueen opened the scoring to give Pompey an early foothold, and Adrian Segecic doubled the lead with a free-kick that clipped a slight deflection on its way in. Lincoln responded through a Reeco Hackett penalty, awarded for handball, to make it 1-2, but Portsmouth held their advantage to half-time. The goal from Segecic was the kind of dead-ball delivery that manager John Mousinho identified as a priority when he opted against adding personnel before this opening fixture.
Birmingham City 1-1 Bristol City
St Andrew's produced a lively opening half between two sides with genuine ambitions in this division. Scott Twine scrambled home past James Beadle to give Bristol City the lead, only for Birmingham to immediately respond. A Carlos Vicente shot cannoned off the post and rebounded in off Bristol City goalkeeper Sam Tickle's back, leaving the referee with little choice but to award the goal. The visitors will feel aggrieved at the manner of the equaliser, but the score stays level at the break in a tie that could swing either way in the second half.
What the early picture tells us
Three early kick-offs have already offered a glimpse of what this Championship campaign may deliver. Norwich's inability to hold a clean sheet while also managing discipline will concern their coaching staff immediately. Portsmouth, despite the uncertainty over their recruitment window, look organised and direct. Birmingham and Bristol City are serving notice that the midlands and west-country rivalry remains competitive.
The afternoon's later fixtures, including Derby County against Cardiff City, QPR hosting Bolton Wanderers, Southampton against Stoke City, Swansea City facing Sheffield United, West Ham against Charlton Athletic, and Wrexham taking on Watford, will sharpen the early-season picture further before the full-time whistles blow.
Frequently asked
- What is the score in Millwall v Norwich City today?
- Millwall lead Norwich City 2-0 at half-time, with Tairyk Arconte scoring both goals and Norwich reduced to ten men after Jose Cordoba's second yellow card.
- What is the score in Lincoln City v Portsmouth?
- Portsmouth lead Lincoln City 2-1 at half-time. Ryan Kavuma-McQueen and Adrian Segecic scored for Pompey, while Reeco Hackett replied from the penalty spot for the Imps.
- How is Birmingham City v Bristol City going?
- It is 1-1 at half-time at St Andrew's. Scott Twine gave Bristol City the lead before a Carlos Vicente shot rebounded in off goalkeeper Sam Tickle to level for Birmingham.