Millwall held on for victory despite Jed Wallace's first-half dismissal
Millwall ended Sheffield Wednesday's perfect start to the season with a narrow win at The Den, despite playing 47 minutes of the match with 10 men.
The home side took the lead against the run of play when Matt Smith buried a close-range header from Connor Mahoney's corner, but the Lions had Jed Wallace sent off just before half-time for a high, late challenge on Kieran Lee.
Wednesday exerted plenty of pressure in the second half as they tried to capitalise on their numerical advantage, but Millwall defended well to hold firm.
Neil Harris' side remain unbeaten this season after two wins and a draw from their opening three games.
After a quiet start to the game, Wednesday's Liam Palmer had the first meaningful chance, but his near-post shot was smartly saved by Bartosz Bialkowski in the Milwall goal.
Adam Reach came within a whisker of putting his side in front just moments later as the visitors gathered momentum, but the winger's stunning half-volley from 35 yards narrowly cleared the crossbar.
Smith's headed finish came against the run of play, and Wednesday immediately threatened to level, but Jacob Murphy's effort with the outside of his foot curled just wide.
Murphy again came close as Wednesday looked to press home their advantage following Wallace's 43rd-minute dismissal, but the winger fired over after getting on the end of Dominic Iorfa's cut-back.
Iorfa was replaced by Barry Bannan at half-time as the Owls sought to pressure the 10 men and the Scot was immediately influential, floating a sublime pass to Steven Fletcher, who fired straight at Bialkowski.
Millwall, however, continued to carry a threat of their own, and Aiden O'Brien came close to sealing the win on the hour mark, but Keiren Westwood saved the full-back's powerful strike.
Wednesday came close on a number of occasions in the closing stages, but Bialkowski saved Bannan's drive and Jordan Rhodes headed wide from a corner as the Owls were ultimately frustrated.
Millwall boss Neil Harris told BBC Radio London:
"To win the game 1-0 and get back-to-back wins at home is really key. To start at The Den, the fortress we want it to be, with six points is vital.
"In the second half, the story is the backs-to-the-wall display that my team has put in today.
"Was it a red card? I'll have to see it back from more angles from what I've already seen."
Sheffield Wednesday caretaker manager Lee Bullen told BBC Radio Sheffield:
"I don't think it was a bad performance. We've made one mistake in the game, at a corner kick. I don't think I can ask much more of the players. We've been sucker-punched, at the end of the day. We just have to take a deep breath, calm down and get ourselves ready to go again.
"Millwall deserve a lot of credit. They put bodies on the line.
"I don't think we could have gone any more offensive. You think something is going to break for you, but the overriding feeling is that we never got that one real clear-cut opportunity. Our final ball could have been better."
