Hull City's Mohamed Belloumi stuns Millwall with late heroics in 2026 play-off semi-final

Hull City’s Mohamed Belloumi scored a goal and provided an assist in a dramatic second-half cameo to secure a place in the Championship play-off final against Southampton or Middlesbrough.

Belloumi silences the doubters Hull City’s Mohamed Belloumi came off the bench in the second leg of the Championship semi-final against Millwall with his team trailing on aggregate. The Algerian winger took his time adjusting his boot laces before kickoff, earning a frustrated reaction from manager Sergej Jakirovic. Belloumi then changed the game entirely, scoring a goal and setting up another in the final 50 minutes to turn frustration into celebration. Forward Oli McBurnie described his teammate as 'brilliant' and praised his impact after coming off the bench. ## The play-off final awaits Mohamed Belloumi’s performance was pivotal as Hull City secured a 2-0 win over Millwall to advance to the play-off final on May 23, 2026. The Algerian’s curling strike ended a lengthy goal drought for his team, followed by a quick assist to Joe Gelhardt shortly after the substitute entered the game. Belloumi’s contributions were instrumental in booking Hull’s place in the final, where they will face either Southampton or Middlesbrough for a chance to reach the Premier League. ## A difficult journey back to fitness Belloumi’s rise to prominence at Hull City has been far from smooth since joining from Farense in August 2024. His season was cut short in November 2024 after suffering an anterior cruciate ligament injury at Oxford, forcing him to miss the remainder of that campaign. Upon returning in August 2025, he faced further setbacks with two hamstring injuries that sidelined him for four months. Despite these challenges, he made his first start of the season in the goalless first leg but nearly scored within two minutes, hitting the post early in the game. ## Manager explains the delayed return Sergej Jakirovic revealed that Belloumi was not fully fit before the second leg and had not trained since struggling with fatigue in his hamstrings and Achilles. The manager decided to bring him on at halftime as part of a planned substitution strategy. 'He was very tired and had fatigue in both his hamstrings and Achilles so the plan was to give him the second half,' Jakirovic explained. He praised the player’s performance and the strong chemistry within the squad, calling the group 'unbelievable'. ## Teammates heap praise on Belloumi Captain Lewie Coyle joined the chorus of admiration for Belloumi, highlighting his resilience and the club’s medical team’s work in his recovery. 'He’s incredible. We are so lucky that we’ve got so many players that can come on and impact the game,' Coyle said. He emphasized Belloumi’s toughness after a grueling injury layoff and expressed pride in his comeback. Hull’s squad depth was also praised for its ability to influence matches when substitutes arrived. ## Jakirovic’s proudest moment yet Sergej Jakirovic reflected on Hull City’s successful season despite facing financial transfer restrictions imposed in July 2025, later reduced to two windows with one suspended. The ruling stemmed from late payments to other clubs but did not derail their progress. Jakirovic, who has managed in the Champions League and won league titles in Bosnia and Croatia, described reaching the play-off final as possibly the biggest achievement in his career. 'This is maybe the biggest achievement in my life, my football career,' he stated, praising everyone at the club for their efforts under tough circumstances.