Match Report: NOW: Cardiff City vs Cheltenham

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Cardiff City 2-1 Cheltenham Town: Leandro Bacuna and Aden Flint strikes ensure perfect end to Bluebirds' pre-season



Cardiff City 2-1 Cheltenham Town: Leandro Bacuna and Aden Flint strikes ensure perfect end to Bluebirds' pre-season -


By Glen Williams

1 SEP 2020



Cardiff City completed a third successive pre-season win over Cheltenham Town to end their perfect preparation for this weekend's clash with Northampton Town in the Carabao Cup.

Goals from Leandro Bacuna and Aden Flint ensured City came away with a 2-1 victory at Cardiff City Stadium, with Alfie May capitalising on a defensive blip to score for the Robins in the second half.

It was about as comfortable as you would have liked, for the most part, against the League Two opposition, who enjoyed very little possession and were forced to defend pretty much from the off as City bombarded the Robins' goal.

In their new 3-4-3 formation, Cardiff looked fluid and slick in attack, while their defence also appeared robust.

New signing Jordi Osei-Tutu looked bright in the wing back role, while Josh Murphy was afforded space to run and wreak havoc on the other flank.

In fact it was Murphy who engineered a few half chances early on, one of which saw an effort from the halfway line narrowly drop over the crossbar. The winger also squandered a gilt-edged chance when he was laid off by Robert Glatzel in the penalty area only to side-foot his effort into one of the Cheltenham defenders scrambling to get back to defend his goal.

But it was on 25 minutes when the Bluebirds finally made their breakthrough and what a strike it was.

Marlon Pack's free-kick was punched clear by goalkeeper Josh Griffiths, but it fell to Bacuna a little more than 20 yards from goal. The midfielder hammered his volley at goal and it almost burst the back of the net within a blink of an eye - the crispest of strikes.

It was Glatzel's turn next to trouble the goalkeeper. Murphy's cross found the striker and he shifted the ball on to his right foot before unleashing a decent strike from close range, but it was straight at Griffiths and he parried it away from danger.

It was more of the same after the break from Cardiff, with Tom Sang making an impressive introduction with an excellent array of passing, setting City on a few attacks down that right-hand side.

But it was a defensive slip which afforded the visitors their first real chance to get into the game and they took it.

Sol Bamba's misplaced pass afforded the Robins the opportunity to break and May ghosted into the box before cutting it in and sending it into the far corner of the net.

Neil Harris then made wholesale changes, but the flow of City's play was not disrupted and they continued to dominate.

It was another set piece, however, which did the damage.

With 69 minutes on the clock, Marlon Pack whipped in another deadly free-kick and this time Flint rose highest to head home City's second. He is almost unstoppable from that sort of range.

The game broke up as it wore on and Harris made more substitutions, getting more minutes into the legs of those who need it most.

The youngsters impressed, too, with Kieron Evans, Tom Sang, Tavio d'Almeida and Joel Bagan all showing glimpses of what they could do without the end product.

But when the final whistle blew, it was a pretty good day all round for the Bluebirds.


Cardiff City XI (5-4-1): Smithies (Etheridge 58); Osei-Tutu (Sang 46), Nelson (Cunningham 58), Bamba, Morrison (Flint 58), Bennett (Bagan 58); Murphy (Margetson 67), Pack (Bowen 79), Bacuna (d'Almeida 79), Hoilett (Evans 58); Glatzel.

Subs not used: Day.









Cardiff City winning one nil h/t



Cardiff City: Smithies, Osei-Tutu, Nelson, Bamba, Morrison, Bennett, Pack, Bacuna, Hoilett, Murphy, Glatzel.

Wing backs today.

Subs: Etheridge, Day, Flint, Cunningham, Bagan, Evans, Sang, Margetson, D’Almeida, Bowen.

Stream live https://t.co/ELcBQh8DCr

#CityAsOne

Playing some decent stuff. Haven’t seen us play this much football for a long time!

What a goal.

Bacuna on the volley. 1-0.

Murphy had one miss just over the bar from the half way earlier too. Hell of a shot!

What a goal.

Bacuna on the volley. 1-0.

Murphy had one miss just over the bar from the half way earlier too. Hell of a shot!

Some strike that! Osei-Tutu looks like he’s got pace to burn too....

That was a brilliant volley by Bacuna.

Probably the side to start against Northampton with our wales absentees

Playing some good, flowing and confident football. Glatzel seems to be growing in confidence and ability, Murphy looks much better than last season and Osei Tutu looks great.

Only concerns I have are that sometimes Hoilett and Murphy are playing very narrowly and sometimes they’re both on the same side of the pitch which leaves the other side exposed. Also Bamba is looking very shaky.

Overall good though

Yeah. Good first half. Could like to see us a bit more balanced though.

No need having 3 at the back against these who are sitting back and defending.

Tutu seems useful. Get some youngsters on now.

1nil Cardiff h/t

Sang on for JOT by the looks of things

1-1. Big mistake from Bamba

2-1 - Flint heads home a free kick from Pack

2-1 to City. Flint header.

Good header from a long diagonal free kick. Pack to Flint.

Should have scored! Cunningham makes a hash of a clearance and it falls to Cheltenham's striker Andy Williams, with Etheridge out of position, but Flint does excellently to make the shot go wide.

2mins left


All the shape completely gone from this game now, but the youngsters are giving it a right go. Sang, Bagan, Evans, d'Almeida all involved in some slick build-up play

I thought that Sang looked promising when he came on. When he first came on I think he was playing at right-back and eventually went on to play up front or just behind the striker but seemed to play well wherever he was

FULL TIME: Cardiff City 2-1 Cheltenham Town

The Bluebirds finish pre-season with a victory at CCS

Cardiff City 2-1 Cheltenham Town: Leandro Bacuna and Aden Flint strikes ensure perfect end to Bluebirds' pre-season

Cardiff City 2-1 Cheltenham Town: Leandro Bacuna and Aden Flint strikes ensure perfect end to Bluebirds' pre-season

Some decent football there. Not getting too carried away but definitely going up as Champions

Cardiff City 2-1 Cheltenham Town: Leandro Bacuna and Aden Flint strikes ensure perfect end to Bluebirds' pre-season



Cardiff City 2-1 Cheltenham Town: Leandro Bacuna and Aden Flint strikes ensure perfect end to Bluebirds' pre-season -


By Glen Williams

1 SEP 2020



Cardiff City completed a third successive pre-season win over Cheltenham Town to end their perfect preparation for this weekend's clash with Northampton Town in the Carabao Cup.

Goals from Leandro Bacuna and Aden Flint ensured City came away with a 2-1 victory at Cardiff City Stadium, with Alfie May capitalising on a defensive blip to score for the Robins in the second half.

It was about as comfortable as you would have liked, for the most part, against the League Two opposition, who enjoyed very little possession and were forced to defend pretty much from the off as City bombarded the Robins' goal.

In their new 3-4-3 formation, Cardiff looked fluid and slick in attack, while their defence also appeared robust.

New signing Jordi Osei-Tutu looked bright in the wing back role, while Josh Murphy was afforded space to run and wreak havoc on the other flank.

In fact it was Murphy who engineered a few half chances early on, one of which saw an effort from the halfway line narrowly drop over the crossbar. The winger also squandered a gilt-edged chance when he was laid off by Robert Glatzel in the penalty area only to side-foot his effort into one of the Cheltenham defenders scrambling to get back to defend his goal.

But it was on 25 minutes when the Bluebirds finally made their breakthrough and what a strike it was.

Marlon Pack's free-kick was punched clear by goalkeeper Josh Griffiths, but it fell to Bacuna a little more than 20 yards from goal. The midfielder hammered his volley at goal and it almost burst the back of the net within a blink of an eye - the crispest of strikes.

It was Glatzel's turn next to trouble the goalkeeper. Murphy's cross found the striker and he shifted the ball on to his right foot before unleashing a decent strike from close range, but it was straight at Griffiths and he parried it away from danger.

It was more of the same after the break from Cardiff, with Tom Sang making an impressive introduction with an excellent array of passing, setting City on a few attacks down that right-hand side.

But it was a defensive slip which afforded the visitors their first real chance to get into the game and they took it.

Sol Bamba's misplaced pass afforded the Robins the opportunity to break and May ghosted into the box before cutting it in and sending it into the far corner of the net.

Neil Harris then made wholesale changes, but the flow of City's play was not disrupted and they continued to dominate.

It was another set piece, however, which did the damage.

With 69 minutes on the clock, Marlon Pack whipped in another deadly free-kick and this time Flint rose highest to head home City's second. He is almost unstoppable from that sort of range.

The game broke up as it wore on and Harris made more substitutions, getting more minutes into the legs of those who need it most.

The youngsters impressed, too, with Kieron Evans, Tom Sang, Tavio d'Almeida and Joel Bagan all showing glimpses of what they could do without the end product.

But when the final whistle blew, it was a pretty good day all round for the Bluebirds.


Cardiff City XI (5-4-1): Smithies (Etheridge 58); Osei-Tutu (Sang 46), Nelson (Cunningham 58), Bamba, Morrison (Flint 58), Bennett (Bagan 58); Murphy (Margetson 67), Pack (Bowen 79), Bacuna (d'Almeida 79), Hoilett (Evans 58); Glatzel.

Subs not used: Day.