MATCH PREVIEW | FULHAM vs CARDIFF CITY
Match Previews
8th April
The Bluebirds are on the road for the second Sky Bet Championship match in succession, taking on nineteenth-place Fulham at Craven Cottage on Saturday afternoon.
THE OPPOSITION
Having finished last season in a disappointing seventeenth place, Fulham are in the midst of a similar campaign this time out. However, after recently dropping as low as twenty-first, the Cottagers have eased any relegation fears with consecutive victories over fellow strugglers MK Dons at home, and Preston North End away on Tuesday evening.
Ross McCormack was the star of the show in Fulham’s crucial Deepdale win, scoring their first before seeing his free-kick rebound into the path of Moussa Dembélé for the winner. The Scot has had another impressive season at Craven Cottage, netting twenty-three strikes, with Dembélé also chipping in with sixteen. It’s at the other end that Fulham have struggled though, with only the Sky Bet Championship’s bottom two sides, Bolton Wanderers and Charlton Athletic, conceding more goals this term.
The Bluebirds are unbeaten in five matches against the Cottagers, including a League double in the 2013/14 Premier League campaign. After Craig Noone’s late equaliser secured a point at Cardiff City Stadium on the opening day of the season, City will be hoping to go one better at Craven Cottage on Saturday.
CLUB CONNECTIONS
Ross McCormack joined the Cottagers from Leeds United in July 2014. Since then, he has thirty-eight League goals to his name from eighty-three appearances for Fulham. Of course, McCormack previously starred for the Bluebirds, scoring a total of thirty goals in his two years in South Wales.
McCormack isn’t the only man who could face his former side on the weekend though, as City midfielder Kagisho Dikgacoi started his UK career at the Club, prior to his move to Crystal Palace.
Another midfielder to play for both City and Fulham in recent years is Junichi Inamoto. The Japanese playmaker, who has eighty-three international caps, spent time on loan at Fulham from Arsenal before doing likewise at Cardiff from West Brom.
Meanwhile, Eddie Johnson joined the Bluebirds on loan from Fulham back in 2008/09. The USMNT international scored twice in a City shirt that season, including the final goal under the floodlights at Ninian Park.
MEMORABLE ENCOUNTER
Cardiff City 1-0 Fulham
Sky Bet Championship, 10th January 2015
City marked their return to blue with a home victory over Fulham at Cardiff City Stadium in January 2015.
Bluebirds centre-half Sean Morrison was the man to get the crucial goal, heading home from an Aron Gunnarsson long throw.
Scroll down to watch full match highlights of the Bluebirds' home victory...
DON'T MISS A MOMENT
TICKETS: Online: www.eticketing.co.uk/cardiffcity Phone:
0845 345 1400
LISTEN: Supporters can listen in live on Cardiff City Player HD* for all the action from Fulham vs City.
WATCH: Extended highlights of the match will be available to subscribers of Cardiff City Player HD*
SOCIAL: Live updates from Craven Cottage will come via our official Twitter account, @CardiffCityFC.
*Search ‘Cardiff City’ on the App Store and Google Play Store to view Cardiff City Player HD on smart phones.
