Violence in Budapest as Millwall crash out of Europe

Ferencvaros 3 Millwall 1 (Ferencvaros win 4-2 on aggregate)

Millwall’s European adventure was brought to an end in Budapest tonight, Dennis Wise’s team knocked out of the UEFA Cup by Ferencvaros on a day scarred by violence and potential tragedy as a fan was reported to have suffered life-threatening injuries prior to the game.

Ferencvaros’ first-half performance was enough to finish off Millwall as Denes Rosa, Sorin Botis and Robert Vagner put the Hungarian champions three goals up inside 40 minutes.

Millwall rallied through Wise in first-half stoppage time but they had no answer to the superior skill and movement of their hosts, although they showed more spirit and invention when Barry Cogan and Peter Sweeney were brought on in the second half and twice hit the post.

As many had suspected, Ferencvaros were far more threatening and purposeful than they had been at The New Den, and the south London team’s defence was often exposed by the home side’s imagination going forward.

The main talking point from this first-round, second leg encounter will remain the build-up to a match marred seriously by violence, with Sky Sports News reporting that one fan had been left with life-threatening injuries.

As many as 600 Millwall fans were believed to have arrived in Budapest without the tickets issued through the club’s membership scheme.

There were skirmishes a full one-and-a-half hours before kick-off, with stewards clashing with a small number of supporters, who were immediately ejected.

This followed the events of late afternoon in central Budapest, when police were called to curtail running battles around the area of Vorosmarty Ter square.

Nine Millwall followers were believed to have been arrested, following the two arrested yesterday outside a restaurant.

There were also clashes at two nearby underground stations, Ferenciek tere and Nepliget.

There was also a considerable police presence outside the ground, with some officers carrying CS gas canisters and riot shields and mounted police also deployed.

When the football finally began, the visitors survived a major scare on the sixth minute.

Darren Ward lost the ball to Peter Lipscei, who slipped it outside him to Rosa and Graham Stack was required to make a fine point-blank stop.

And from Daniel Ozser’s resulting corner, Robert Vagner flashed a near-post header just wide.

But Millwall also squandered a golden opportunity to take the lead, Paul Ifill failing to position himself correctly and firing wide after home keeper Lajos Szucs had failed to deal with a long left-wing cross.

Just when it appeared that Millwall had settled into their stride, Ferencvaros took the lead.

Vagner crossed from the left and Rosa, whose run from midfield had gone unnoticed, found himself alone eight yards out and had the easy task of heading past Stack in the 26th minute.

Millwall could have equalised immediately after home defender Sorin Botis failed to deal with a bouncing ball, but keeper Szucs produced an excellent save from Neil Harris’ fierce 11-yard drive.

Four minutes later, Ferencvaros took control of the tie with a controversial second.

Defender Botis’ header from Rosa’s deep cross hit the underside of the crossbar and bounced down onto the line and the linesman awarded a goal although the issue was far from clear-cut.

And the home side all but ended Millwall’s European campaign with a third just before half-time, Vagner’s shot from the edge of the area deflecting off Ward to leave Stack with no chance.

But Millwall did get on the scoresheet shortly before the break. Morris set up Livermore inside the area, and his left-foot shot was deflected into the path of Wise, who clipped the ball over Szucs.

Millwall brought on Mark McCammon for the disappointing Marvin Elliott at half-time in the hope of adding greater presence to the attack.

They almost pulled the score back to 3-2 in the early exchanges, Wise’s left-foot curler from the edge of the area going narrowly wide.

At the other end, the excellent Vagner hit a sweet shot just past Stack’s right-hand post.

Harris was involved in a 59th-minute scuffle with keeper Szucs, but luckily for the Millwall forward, who had already been booked, referee Eric Braamhaar opted for leniency and kept his yellow card in his pocket.

And Harris could have given his team further hope in the 65th minute, but he could only shoot into the side-netting after a goalmouth scramble.

Three minutes later, substitute McCammon chose to head Ifill’s right-wing cross back across goal when an effort on target was surely the better option.

Sweeney, who had come on for Josh Simpson, made a good run into the box from the left, but could only volley a cross from another sub, Cogan, straight at Szucs in the 71st minute.

And Sweeney was desperately unlucky not to score five minutes later, volleying against the outside of the post from 25 yards after Kevin Muscat’s right-wing cross had been punched to him by Szucs.

In the 86th minute, home sub Leandro’s fierce 30-yard free-kick was pushed away by Stack, and Dave Livermore saw an injury-time free-kick curl beyond everyone and bounce back off the post.