' Cardiff City v Wolves Match Reports '
Sat Feb 28, 2015 5:47 pm
Spirited Wolves held on to make it three straight wins to keep their play-off challenge alive as they overcame 10-man Cardiff for a hard-fought victory.
Bakary Sako (26) was the matchwinner for the second game in a row, but after the 65th minute dismissal of Cardiff midfielder Peter Whittingham, Richard Stearman (twice) and Kortney Hause cleared off the line as the Bluebirds chased an equaliser.
It was real end-to-end stuff as Benik Afobe twice missed the chance to make it 2-0 before the sending off, while Cardiff fans claimed Dominic Iorfa should have been seen red after a lunge when he had been booked in the first half.
Sako’s goal was his fourth in the last three games and 11th of the season, while Wolves made it three successive clean sheets.
Wolves boss Kenny Jackett made two changes to the line-up that beat Fulham 3-0 on Tuesday night.
Hause was recalled at left back in place of Scott Golbourne, while Rajiv Van La Parra came in for Nouha Dicko as Wolves retained their 4-4-2 formation with the Dutchman making his first start as an orthodox striker.
Both Golbourne and Dicko dropped to the bench, where Kevin Doyle vacated his place after his wife went into labour this morning for the birth of their second child.
Wolves captain Danny Batth was making his 80th consecutive league start, the only player to have played in every league match under head coach Jackett.
Cardiff made one change to the side that ended a nine-match wait for a win on Tuesday night with a 1-0 victory at Wigan, with regular right-back Lee Peltier swapping to left-back in place of Joe Ralls, who dropped to the bench.
The game got off to a tentative start and it wasn’t until the seventh minute that there was any noteworthy action.
Iorfa was booked after tripping Matt Kennedy, but Whittingham’s free kick came to nothing.
Craig Noone, who terrorised Wolves on his debut the last time the sides met here, was narrowly over with a fierce shot after running at the visitors’ defence in the 20th minute.
Within 60 seconds, Tomasz Kuszczak was out bravely to dive at the feet of Bruno Manga after he intercepted a shot from Noone.
But then came the breakthrough from Sako and it was another classic counter-attacking move from Wolves.
Afobe burst forward and surged at the defence before slipping the ball to his right for Van La Parra, whose low centre was blocked but fell perfectly into the path of Sako, who found the bottom corner with a neat sidefooted finish.
That seemed to take any wind out of Cardiff’s sails and Jackett’s side went on to control the rest of the half without any threat on their goal.
Wolves perhaps should have made it 2-0 seven minutes after the break when Afobe was presented with a free header from Sako’s superbly-struck free kick but could only guide the ball well over the bar.
Whittingham was booked in the 57th minute when he tripped Afobe as the striker ran towards goal after a poor Cardiff pass.
And it was to have further consequences for the former Villa man soon after.
Sako’s resulting free kick was goalbound but was deflected over.
Wolves made their first change on 59 when Dicko came on for Van La Parra up front.
Yet it was Cardiff who suddenly rallied and went close on the hour when Kenwyne Jones’s towering far post header drifted just wide of Kuszczak’s right hand post from a Whittingham free kick.
Iorfa was then perhaps lucky to escape a second yellow card for a late tackle on the touchline, with Cardiff fans howling for punishment from the ref which never came.
And any chance that the youngster might see red was swiftly removed by Jackett as he took him off almost immediately in the 61st minute, with Matt Doherty coming on.
Play switched to the other end and Afobe missed another opportunity to double the visitors’ lead when he intercepted a backpass only to fire against David Marshall’s legs when clean through, the ball looping well over.
But Cardiff suffered a blow on 65 when Whittingham was sent off for a second bookable offence for lunging in high on Doherty.
Going down to 10 men didn’t seem to affect the Bluebirds as Noone crossed invitingly for Jones, who couldn’t connect properly at the far post.
But they twice went desperately close to an equaliser on 70 when goalline clearances from Richard Stearman and Hause kept Wolves’ slender lead intact after Kuszczak came for but failed to collect Noone’s free kick.
Cardiff threw everything forward and thought they had got an equaliser in the fourth minute of time added on.
But out of nowhere, Stearman scampered back to nod Jones’s header over the bar just when it looked like it was creeping in.
Victory now leaves Wolves in confident mood as they prepare to hit the road again on Tuesday night at high-flying Bournemouth.
Bakary Sako (26) was the matchwinner for the second game in a row, but after the 65th minute dismissal of Cardiff midfielder Peter Whittingham, Richard Stearman (twice) and Kortney Hause cleared off the line as the Bluebirds chased an equaliser.
It was real end-to-end stuff as Benik Afobe twice missed the chance to make it 2-0 before the sending off, while Cardiff fans claimed Dominic Iorfa should have been seen red after a lunge when he had been booked in the first half.
Sako’s goal was his fourth in the last three games and 11th of the season, while Wolves made it three successive clean sheets.
Wolves boss Kenny Jackett made two changes to the line-up that beat Fulham 3-0 on Tuesday night.
Hause was recalled at left back in place of Scott Golbourne, while Rajiv Van La Parra came in for Nouha Dicko as Wolves retained their 4-4-2 formation with the Dutchman making his first start as an orthodox striker.
Both Golbourne and Dicko dropped to the bench, where Kevin Doyle vacated his place after his wife went into labour this morning for the birth of their second child.
Wolves captain Danny Batth was making his 80th consecutive league start, the only player to have played in every league match under head coach Jackett.
Cardiff made one change to the side that ended a nine-match wait for a win on Tuesday night with a 1-0 victory at Wigan, with regular right-back Lee Peltier swapping to left-back in place of Joe Ralls, who dropped to the bench.
The game got off to a tentative start and it wasn’t until the seventh minute that there was any noteworthy action.
Iorfa was booked after tripping Matt Kennedy, but Whittingham’s free kick came to nothing.
Craig Noone, who terrorised Wolves on his debut the last time the sides met here, was narrowly over with a fierce shot after running at the visitors’ defence in the 20th minute.
Within 60 seconds, Tomasz Kuszczak was out bravely to dive at the feet of Bruno Manga after he intercepted a shot from Noone.
But then came the breakthrough from Sako and it was another classic counter-attacking move from Wolves.
Afobe burst forward and surged at the defence before slipping the ball to his right for Van La Parra, whose low centre was blocked but fell perfectly into the path of Sako, who found the bottom corner with a neat sidefooted finish.
That seemed to take any wind out of Cardiff’s sails and Jackett’s side went on to control the rest of the half without any threat on their goal.
Wolves perhaps should have made it 2-0 seven minutes after the break when Afobe was presented with a free header from Sako’s superbly-struck free kick but could only guide the ball well over the bar.
Whittingham was booked in the 57th minute when he tripped Afobe as the striker ran towards goal after a poor Cardiff pass.
And it was to have further consequences for the former Villa man soon after.
Sako’s resulting free kick was goalbound but was deflected over.
Wolves made their first change on 59 when Dicko came on for Van La Parra up front.
Yet it was Cardiff who suddenly rallied and went close on the hour when Kenwyne Jones’s towering far post header drifted just wide of Kuszczak’s right hand post from a Whittingham free kick.
Iorfa was then perhaps lucky to escape a second yellow card for a late tackle on the touchline, with Cardiff fans howling for punishment from the ref which never came.
And any chance that the youngster might see red was swiftly removed by Jackett as he took him off almost immediately in the 61st minute, with Matt Doherty coming on.
Play switched to the other end and Afobe missed another opportunity to double the visitors’ lead when he intercepted a backpass only to fire against David Marshall’s legs when clean through, the ball looping well over.
But Cardiff suffered a blow on 65 when Whittingham was sent off for a second bookable offence for lunging in high on Doherty.
Going down to 10 men didn’t seem to affect the Bluebirds as Noone crossed invitingly for Jones, who couldn’t connect properly at the far post.
But they twice went desperately close to an equaliser on 70 when goalline clearances from Richard Stearman and Hause kept Wolves’ slender lead intact after Kuszczak came for but failed to collect Noone’s free kick.
Cardiff threw everything forward and thought they had got an equaliser in the fourth minute of time added on.
But out of nowhere, Stearman scampered back to nod Jones’s header over the bar just when it looked like it was creeping in.
Victory now leaves Wolves in confident mood as they prepare to hit the road again on Tuesday night at high-flying Bournemouth.
Re: ' City v Wolves Match Reports '
Sat Feb 28, 2015 5:48 pm
Wales Online 28/02/15
Vincent Tan saw Cardiff City crash to defeat on an afternoon of woe as he made his first appearance in the director’s box for a Bluebirds match this season.
Tan flew in from Malaysia to see Russell Slade’s Cardiff for the first time, but was left disappointed as a Bakary Sako first half goal gave Wolves victory.
To compound matters for Cardiff and Tan, Bluebirds favourite Peter Whittingham was sent off midway through the second half for two bookable offences, committed within the space of just eight minutes.
Tan must have been wondering what type of reception he would receive as he appeared at a Cardiff match for the first time since the Premier League finale against Chelsea last May.
But as he walked pitchside before kick-off, Cardiff’s billionaire owner received applause from fans in the main grandstand and took time out to pose with them for photographs.
Once the action commenced, the smiles disappeared and Tan will have been concerned about the gaping gaps around the stadium... something he was not accustomed to during the Premier League season and Championship title winning campaign.
Cardiff started brightly enough, but Sako fired Wolves ahead in the 26th minute after the ball broke kindly to him following a breakaway.
Sako made no mistake in drilling the ball beyond David Marshall and into the corner of the Cardiff net.
Wolves then took a stranglehold on the match and Cardiff’s chances of hauling their way back into proceedings were dashed when Whittingham was red-carded.
To be fair to the Bluebirds, they did rally in the closing 20 minutes despite being a man down, but could not break the Wolves resistance.
It left Tan with plenty to ponder on his trip back to Malaysia. He said before the match he still believed Cardiff could be promoted, but this result has made the task a lot harder.
Vincent Tan saw Cardiff City crash to defeat on an afternoon of woe as he made his first appearance in the director’s box for a Bluebirds match this season.
Tan flew in from Malaysia to see Russell Slade’s Cardiff for the first time, but was left disappointed as a Bakary Sako first half goal gave Wolves victory.
To compound matters for Cardiff and Tan, Bluebirds favourite Peter Whittingham was sent off midway through the second half for two bookable offences, committed within the space of just eight minutes.
Tan must have been wondering what type of reception he would receive as he appeared at a Cardiff match for the first time since the Premier League finale against Chelsea last May.
But as he walked pitchside before kick-off, Cardiff’s billionaire owner received applause from fans in the main grandstand and took time out to pose with them for photographs.
Once the action commenced, the smiles disappeared and Tan will have been concerned about the gaping gaps around the stadium... something he was not accustomed to during the Premier League season and Championship title winning campaign.
Cardiff started brightly enough, but Sako fired Wolves ahead in the 26th minute after the ball broke kindly to him following a breakaway.
Sako made no mistake in drilling the ball beyond David Marshall and into the corner of the Cardiff net.
Wolves then took a stranglehold on the match and Cardiff’s chances of hauling their way back into proceedings were dashed when Whittingham was red-carded.
To be fair to the Bluebirds, they did rally in the closing 20 minutes despite being a man down, but could not break the Wolves resistance.
It left Tan with plenty to ponder on his trip back to Malaysia. He said before the match he still believed Cardiff could be promoted, but this result has made the task a lot harder.
Re: ' Cardiff City v Wolves Match Reports '
Sun Mar 01, 2015 9:23 am
Cheers Owain 