MATCH FACTS: CARDIFF VS BLACKBURN
Club News
16th February
Cardiff City vs Blackburn Rovers
Venue: Cardiff City Stadium
Date: Tuesday, 17th February 2015, 7:45pm
Cardiff City continue their Sky Bet Championship season on Tuesday evening as Blackburn Rovers visit Cardiff City Stadium. Former Bluebirds Craig Conway and Rudy Gestede could be set to line-up for Gary Bowyer’s side in the Welsh Capital City on the back of a strong F.A. Cup win over Stoke City.
LISTEN LIVE ON CARDIFF CITY PLAYER
MATCH FACTS
- Cardiff won the last meeting at Cardiff City Stadium 3-0 in the Championship in April 2013
- The Bluebirds record are unbeaten against Rovers in the last four games
- Rovers have not won in eight away league games
- Blackburn have won two of their last three league matches
- Rudy Gestede is the current top scoring Rover with 12 league goals
- Kenwyne Jones is only one goal behind for the season on 11 league strikes
KEY OPPOSITION PLAYER: Rudy Gestede
Benin international forward Gestede is likely to be in attack for Rovers on Tuesday, and it will be his first appearance at the Cardiff City Stadium since permanently joining Rovers in January 2014. Rudy has an exceptional goal-scoring record for the Ewood Park side, netting 24 goals in 47 league appearances to date.
ONE TO WATCH: Josh King
F.A. Cup magic was in the air for Norway international King on Saturday afternoon, with the forward netting his first career hat-trick against Premier League opposition in Stoke City. King left Norway at the age of 16 to join Sir Alex Ferguson at Manchester United. After scoring against the Bluebirds in December 2012 during a loan spell with Rovers, King made a permanent move to Ewood Park in January 2013. He has scored on four occasions this season, including Saturday's treble.
RECENT FORM (ALL COMPETITIONS)
Cardiff City:LLLLDD
Last time out: Cardiff City 0-0 Brighton & Hove Albion - Saturday, 10th February 2015, Sky Bet Championship
The Bluebirds played out a goalless Sky Bet Championship draw with Brighton & Hove Albion on a brisk night in the Welsh Capital City. Kenwyne Jones and Aron Gunnarsson both headed Peter Whittingham corners over the bar in quick succession as the Bluebirds turned up the pressure going into the last ten minutes. Jones had the best effort of the lot when he rose to head Craig Noone’s cross wide of the post on eighty-four minutes. Referee Iain Williamson blew his whistle soon after to end the game goalless, this one ending all-square just as the game between the two sides at the AMEX earlier in the season.
Cardiff City: Marshall, Peltier, Malone, Ecuele Manga, Whittingham, Jones, Noone, McAleny (Harris), Gunnarsson, O’Keefe (Doyle), S. Morrison. Subs Not Used: Fábio, Moore, Connolly, Adeyemi, Revell.
Blackburn Rovers:WLWLWW
Last time out: Blackburn Rovers 4-1 Stoke City – Saturday, 14th February 2015, F.A. Cup Fifth Round
Josh King's hat-trick helped Blackburn shock 10-man top flight Stoke City to reach the FA Cup quarter-finals. Peter Crouch reacted quickest to poke Stoke ahead from close range after ten minutes. But Rovers were level when forward King, who had earlier hit the crossbar, made amends by flicking in the equaliser from a corner. Geoff Cameron was sent off for bringing down King with former Bluebird Rudy Gestede converting the penalty, before King raced clear to score twice with similar strikes to secure an impressive victory at Ewood Park.
Blackburn Rovers: Eastwood, Henley, Duffy, Kilgallon, Olsson, Taylor, Cairney, Williamson (Evans), Marshall (Conway), Gestede, King (Varney). Subs Not Used: Steele, Spurr, Hanley, Rhodes.
LAST COMPETITIVE MEETING
2014/15: Friday, 8th August, Championship: Blackburn Rovers 1-1 Cardiff City
Cardiff City came away from Ewood Park with a hard-fought point against a battling Blackburn Rovers. A foul by Grant Hanley on Kenwyne Jones allowed Peter Whittingham to deliver a free-kick from the City right on 17 minutes. Predictably, it was inch perfect – allowing Jones to power home with his head. Tom Cairney levelled for Rovers later in the half with an incredible long range effort. An end-to-end second period saw chances come and go for both sides without a third goal. Cardiff City returning home to South Wales with a fair point from a tough opening away fixture.
Blackburn Rovers: Robinson, Kilgallon (Williamson), Hanley, Lowe, Cairney, Rhodes, Olsson, Baptiste, Evans, Conway, Gestede. Subs Not Used: Kean, King, Dunn, Marshall, Varney, Taylor.
Cardiff City: Marshall, Brayford, Fábio, Hudson, Connolly, Whittingham, Gunnarsson, Dæhli (Adeyemi), Maynard, Le Fondre (Eikrem), Jones (Burgstaller). Subs Not Used: Moore, John, Kim, Théophile-Catherine.
