Millwall goalkeeper Filip Marschall accused West Ham striker Taty Castellanos of spitting at him during the Dockers Derby held at The Den on Saturday. The incident took place in the second half when Millwall led 2-0, amid a highly charged atmosphere at the stadium. After Marschall secured a loose ball inside his penalty area, Castellanos briefly positioned himself in front of him. Marschall then claimed that Castellanos spat at him, prompting him to approach the linesman and wipe his face with his shirt. Referee Paul Tierney halted the game to speak with Marschall, and the allegation was later conveyed to the fourth official by Millwall’s coaching staff. Millwall manager Alex Neil affirmed confidence in Marschall’s account, stating that the matter would be reviewed by the match officials and relevant authorities.
The match, which was the first meeting between the two clubs since 2012, lived up to its intense rivalry reputation. Millwall took the lead through goals from Caleb Taylor and Camiel Neghli before half-time. West Ham mounted a late comeback after halftime substitutions, with Mohamadou Kante and Konstantinos Mavropanos scoring to level the game at 2-2. Kante was sent off in the 89th minute for a last-man challenge on Millwall’s Kyrell Lisbie, but the hosts were unable to capitalize on the numerical advantage, and the match ended in a draw.
The game featured a vigorous start, with Jenson Metcalfe’s early strong challenge on West Ham captain Jarrod Bowen setting a combative tone. West Ham entered the fixture sitting top of the Championship table, aiming to secure a fifth consecutive win, but Millwall’s early dominance challenged their prospects. The match attracted significant security presence, with around 400 Metropolitan Police officers deployed to prevent any violent incidents that have historically occurred during this fixture.
Elsewhere in the Championship, Swansea climbed to the top of the table following a 2-1 comeback win at Lincoln, highlighted by Stephen Eustaquio’s first goal for the club. Middlesbrough salvaged a 2-2 draw against Birmingham thanks to a late equalizer from Adilson Malanda, while Stoke staged a second-half rally to defeat Sheffield United 2-1 with goals from Jack McGlynn and Sam Gallagher. Cardiff secured their first Championship win since promotion, beating Charlton 3-1 with two goals from Jack Moylan. Burnley had a late equalizer scored by Mohammed Fuseini for Derby, ending their hopes of a league victory since February. QPR’s Paul Smyth earned a stoppage-time point to draw 2-2 with Preston, and Wrexham took all three points from Southampton due to a late own goal by Keven Schlotterbeck. Portsmouth and Blackburn played out a 2-2 draw with a late goal from Colby Bishop.
In the Premier League, Tottenham Hotspur continued to struggle, suffering another home defeat by Aston Villa. Spurs scored their first league goals of the season late in the match but were 3-0 down by the 79th minute after a striking goal by Emi Buendia. Manager Roberto De Zerbi expressed frustration by withholding communication with his players following the game. Villa manager Unai Emery commended his team’s tactical discipline and execution during the match. Tottenham’s poor start remains their worst in Premier League history.