Famous Fixtures: Swansea City

From the first league meeting in nearly a decade, to their first match against each other at CCS, we take a look at two famous fixtures between the Bluebirds and Swansea City.

Cardiff City 2-1 Swansea City (April 3rd 2010)

Cardiff City’s first home match played against Swansea City at CCS was a thrilling encounter as a late winner for the Bluebirds secured all three points in April 2010.

With only a few weeks left of the 2009/10 Championship season remaining, both sides were in line for a play-off spot as the season drew to a close, with the Bluebirds in fourth place and the Swans three points behind in fifth.

The visitors scored the first goal just before the half hour mark as Andrea Orlandi’s corner curled in awkwardly, beating David Marshall.

Michael Chopra ensured that both sides went into the interval with a level score as he equalised for the Bluebirds after 42 minutes. The Newcastle-born striker made the most of Jay Bothroyd’s flicked on header to shoot on the half volley inside Swansea’s area, hitting his target as he scored his fifteenth league goal of the season.

Marshall was called upon several time throughout the second half as the Swans pushed to regain their lead, but held strong to deny the visitors time and time again. Most notably, the Scotland international pulled off a super save late on to deny Shefki Kuqi’s well placed header.

In the most dramatic of circumstances City took the lead in the closing moments as Chopra bagged a brace for the hosts. The striker was well positioned in Swansea City’s box once again, and deftly tucked away his shot at the far post whilst under pressure from the visitors’ defence.

With the final whistle blown, the Bluebirds had defeated the Swans for the first time since 1997, and gone one step closer to securing their place in the 2010 Championship Play-Offs.

Swansea City 2-2 Cardiff City (November 30th 2008)

Following the Bluebirds’ first visit to Swansea City’s Liberty Stadium two months prior for a League Cup tie, Cardiff City returned to play the Swans for their first league match against the side since 1999.

Under the management of Roberto Martínez, the Swans had been promoted to the Championship at the end of the previous season, reaching the second tier for the first time since 1984.

The hosts took the lead before 20 minutes were played, as Darren Pratley received a cut back pass from Jason Scotland, putting the Swans ahead from 12 yards.

City pushed back for an equaliser immediately, as Wayne Routledge (then an Aston Villa loanee playing for the Bluebirds) crossed in towards Joe Ledley, who narrowly fired wide from inside Swansea’s area.

Ledley was given another chance to draw the scores level as the interval neared, and this time he made sure to hit his mark.

Goalkeeper Dorus de Vries fumbled his punched clearance, and with the ball falling in front of the midfielder, Ledley made no mistake in scoring his second league goal of the 2008/09 season.

The Bluebirds started the second half by taking the lead for the first time in the match. With Michael Chopra being fouled in the box by Fede Bessoune, the visitors were awarded a penalty kick, which Ross McCormack stepped up to take. The Scot sent de Vries the wrong way, putting the Bluebirds ahead in dramatic fashion at Liberty Stadium.

The Swans drew level as substitute Gorka Pintado struck in Shaun MacDonald’s corner kick, twenty minutes later. MacDonald nearly set up Pintado once again minutes later, who would have surely put the hosts ahead once again if not for a terrific block by Peter Enckelman.

The match ended without any further goals scored, and both sides came away from the fixture with a point each.