Cardiff City 1-2 QPR: Erol Bulut
Bluebirds' poor home record persists
The Bluebirds' first home Championship game saw them take on Gareth Ainsworth's side
By Glen Williams
Erol Bulut suffered his first taste of defeat as Cardiff City manager as the Bluebirds were downed 2-1 in their first home game of the season.
It wasn't the homecoming Aaron Ramsey would have liked, with goals from Sinclair Armstrong and Kenneth Paal in each half leaving City with an uphill battle.
Ike Ugbo did score his second in two games, tapping home to halve the deficit, while the Bluebirds hit the bar twice, once through a Ramsey stinger and in the dying moments by Mark McGuinness.
But all in all, it was a poor performance. It was too ponderous and Cardiff looked devoid of ideas for the most part, which will be of concern to Bulut and his staff. And it was another home defeat, a record which has hamstrung Cardiff for a few years now.
It was, of course, Ramsey's return to Cardiff City Stadium. His return in front of adoring supporters and the pre-game atmosphere mirrored the occasion. The return of Beatles hit Hey Jude rang before the match before Ramsey ran out, with the arm band on and his three children alongside him.
Joe Ralls missed out from the starting XI due to the hip injury he sustained at Elland Road last Sunday, while Yakou Meite was out of the squad, too. Ebou Adams slotted into the starting lineup, while Ollie Tanner and Rubin Colwill were called on to the bench after impressive Carabao Cup outings in midweek.
Cardiff's home record over the last few seasons has been woeful, but it was hoped that with this renewed optimism that they would be inclined to get on the front foot, but the game began in cagey fashion.
City's first big chance came on the 20-minute mark when Mark McGuinness headed goalward from a corner and Ike Ugbo swivelled and shot from point-blank range, but somehow managed to spray it wide of the upright.
The Bluebirds just looked a little disorganised and struggled to break down the opposition, while Rangers were happy to hit on the counter and from set pieces. Steve Cook stung Jak Alnwick's palms with one particularly fierce header midway through the first half.
When QPR's goal came about, there could be few complaints. An uncharacteristic misjudgement from Callum O'Dowda saw Paul Smyth steal in behind him and nick the ball before it went out for a goal kick and he fired a low cross into the box. Sinclair Armstrong was in the right place at the right time and he couldn't have wished for an easier tap in for his first QPR Championship goal.
The second half started no better for Cardiff, with Ebou Adams, undoubtedly their best player in that first period, off injured just minutes after the restart, holding his back as he trudged off.
Callum Robinson replaced him and hit was his neat little turn that initiated Ramsey's big chance. He spun his defender and laid the ball out to the right wing. A pass found its way back into Ramsey, 20 yards out, and the skipper struck a sweet shot which pinged off the cross bar.
Ramsey, however, then gave the ball away and Rangers burst upfield. Dimitrios Goutas dived in with a rash challenge on Armstrong and he drove into the box after skipping past it. He was calm and found Paal on the edge of the box, who slotted home with aplomb.
Tanner was handed his Championship debut as Bulut rolled the dice late on.
As expected, Cardiff did pile the pressure on late. A touch of quality from Ramsey set up Ugbo's goal when he lifted a great ball over the top for O'Dowda, who slid in before squaring a pass first time into the danger zone. Ugbo had an empty net to tap home to.
City thought they had grabbed a point in the dying minutes when Perry Ng's cross was met by Mark McGuinness, but his effort once again rebounded off the cross bar.
It was that sort of a day for Cardiff, but there must be improvements all over the pitch if this team is going to trouble that top half this term.
Cardiff City XI: Alnwick; Ng, Goutas, McGuinness, O'Dowda; Wintle, Adams (Robinson 54); Bowler (Collins 84), Ramsey ( R. Colwill 84), Grant (Tanner 73); Ugbo (Etete 84).
Subs: Luthra, Simpson, Romeo, Rinomhota.
QPR XI: Begovic; Kakay, Cook, Fox; Smyth (Adomah 77), Field, Dozzell, Paal; Chair (Richards 88), Dykes, Armstrong (Dixon-Bonner 73).
Subs: Archer, Larkeche, Duke-McKenna, Gubbins, Aoraha, Kolli.
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