Cardiff City head into the international break on the back of consecutive losses after George Baldock's goal consigned the Bluebirds to a 1-0 defeat at home to Sheffield United.
By Glen Williams
For all of Cardiff's huffing and puffing in the first half, they just couldn't put the ball in the back of the net, a problem which has been evident all season.
The Blades, meanwhile, made the most of a Niels Nkounkou error, with Baldock rifling the ball into Cardiff's goal just after the hour mark.
It is almost a month now until Cardiff play again, but they go into this mini break just one point off the relegation zone and as the Championship's lowest scorers. Not what the doctor ordered.
The start of this match was like night and day, from a Cardiff standpoint, to what we saw against Hull City in midweek. The Bluebirds dominated the early proceedings and had the Blades on the back foot right from the off.
While City got themselves into a number of good positions, they couldn't make that killer pass or hit that pinpoint cross in the first half an hour, but they then clicked into gear.
The first real chance of any note came for Mark Harris, fresh of a Wales World Cup call-up, courtesy of a dangerous cross from Mahlon Romeo. John Egan was on hand to head it away from United's goal, but Harris nipped in and rifled a volley narrowly over the bar from 15 yards out. A difficult chance, but one which signalled a real change in intensity from the Bluebirds.
Just two minutes later, Ryan Wintle attempted an audacious half volley, which was hammered from 30 yards and left Wes Foderingham rooted to the ground as he watched in hope, however the ball whistled just inches past his upright.
Shortly after, Cardiff really should have taken the lead. Callum O'Dowda plonked a cross right on top of Callum Robinson's head, however the forward, who was just five yards out, steered his effort wide.
But the biggest chance of the half would come just before the referee blew his whistle to end it. A terrible backpass from John Egan was seized upon by Harris, who rounded Foderingham with a neat first touch, but couldn't get his shot away into an empty net. Harris doubled back and laid off Robinson, whose effort was eventually blocked by a sprawling John Egan.
Cardiff trudged back down the tunnel heartened at that first-half display, but scratching their heads at the scoreline.
The Blades started the better of the two sides after the break, a lot of that can be attributed to the introduction of James McAtee, who looked a livewire after he was brought on at the interval.
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Perry Ng had to bail out Cedric Kipre at the beginning of the half after an errant pass was intercepted. Fortunately for Cardiff, Ng, the sole defender against three attackers, managed to single-handedly quell the attack.
But it was the first sign that momentum was shifting, with Ciaran Clark seeing two headers go wide of the mark shortly after and McAtee himself having a shot from 25 yards saved low down by Ryan Allsop.
But while Cardiff had nothing to show for their first-half dominance, Sheffield United wouldn't make the same mistake.
Niels Nkounkou was caught with the ball near his own goal and Baldock picked his pocket before driving towards goal and hitting low and past Allsop at his near post.
The Bluebirds rang the changes, all five of them, in fact, but it made little difference. The disjointed nature of the last 25 minutes actually played into Sheffield United's hands.
The only attempt of note was Sheyi Ojo's late header which was hit well but straight at Foderingham.
It's been the story of Cardiff's season. For all of their dominance, putting the ball in the back of the net is a real struggle, but for opposition teams, in this instance Sheffield United, they make their chances count.
Cardiff City XI: Allsop; Romeo, Ng, Kipre, Nkounkou (Ojo 72); Wintle, Ralls (Whyte 72, Sang (Rinomhota 77); O'Dowda, Robinson, Harris (Colwill 63).
Subs: Alnwick, Nelson, Etete.
Sheffield United XI: Foderingham; Baldock, Basham, Egan, Robinson (Clark 14), Stevens; Norwood, Arblaster (McAtee 45), Osborn; Ndiaye (Khadra 88), Sharp
Subs: Davies, Amissah, Sachdev, Brooks.
Attendance: 18,700
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