Media Wales:
“It was a low quality game from both sides, but City won the game in a late turnaround.”
Cardiff City produced a stunning late turnaround against Sheffield Wednesday, coming from a goal behind to win 2-1 up at Hillsborough.
The hosts went ahead in the first half thanks to a well-taken goal from Anthony Musaba and they were good value for their lead. City's equaliser came from nowhere, truth be told, but it was a lovely strike from Karlan Grant which got them back on terms and they sensed blood late on.
With 88 minutes on the clock, it was Kion Etete who proved the hero, capitalising on a fumble from the home goalkeeper to poke home the winner in front of the 850 travelling Bluebirds fans, who sorely needed that win after such a poor run. A lovely little Christmas present for them, mind the cliché.
It was a low-quality game from both sides, with players struggling to string meaningful passes together and the hard ground seeing the ball bounce in and out of each team's possession.
Cardiff looked comfortable enough in the opening 25 minutes, but lacked any sort of guile or ingenuity as they built towards the opposition's box. Wednesday were the same, for that matter, although they did have one half chance when Bailey Cadamarteri swivelled and hit a shot from close range straight at Musaba from close range.
The Owls' opener came by virtue of some poor City defending, it had to be said. A hopeful ball was played down the channel and Perry Ng committed himself with a sliding attempt to intercept it. The ball trickled past him and into Musaba's path before the Owls man faked to shoot, again drawing a sliding tackle, this time from Dimitrios Goutas, and he checked back on to his right foot inside the box before rifling it past Jak Alnwick.
Cardiff, meanwhile, had no chances of which to speak as the first half drew to a close. Bulut had to make changes and he did shortly after the restart, with the ineffective Callum Robinson and Manolis Siopis withdrawn in the 55th minute, but City were penned in for much of the second period, strangled inside their own half.
City's leveller almost came from nothing. Cardiff waltzed up the field and Grant made a clever run into the half space just outside the penalty area. He took the ball and lashed it across goal; it took a slight deflection before nestling into the bottom corner and suddenly, the visitors were back in it.
Wednesday then looked a little nervy and passes began to go awry. City sensed the opportunity and seized it late on. Ollie Tanner shifted the ball on to his left and blasted a low effort from the edge of the box. It was deflected and awkward for Cameron Dawson, who fumbled the ball into the danger area. Credit to Etete, though, who was alert enough to close in and ram the ball under the Owls 'keeper under pressure. And that, from nowhere, was the three points.
Sheffield Wednesday XI: Dawson; Palmer (Valentin 86), Diaby (Bernard 86), Famewo, Johnson; Vaulks, Byers (Fletcher 86), Bannan; Paterson, Musaba (Gassama 73), Cadamarteri.
Subs: Vasquez, Ihiekwe, Bakinson, Phuthi, Gregory.
Cardiff City XI: Alnwick; Ng, McGuinness, Goutas, Collins; Siopis (Wintle 55), Ralls; Bowler (Etete 65), Robinson (Tanner 55), Grant; Meite (Adams 89).
Subs: Runarsson, Panzo, Romeo, Sawyers, R.Colwill.
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