Match Preview: Cardiff City vs. Sheffield Wednesday
Following the October international break, the Bluebirds return to CCS on Friday to face the Owls – kick-off at 7:45pm.
The Opposition
Sheffield Wednesday will arrive at CCS on Friday evening in eighth place on the Sky Bet Championship league table. The Owls have thus far gathered a total of 19 points from the opening 11 matches in their 2019/20 league campaign, winning six and drawing one fixture in the opening two months of the season.
Most recently, Wednesday ran out against Wigan Athletic at their home ground, Hillsborough Stadium. The Owls defeated the Latics 1-0 thanks to a goal from Massimo Luongo, indicating a return to form following a defeat against Hull City earlier in the week.
With five goals scored in nine league appearances, Steven Fletcher is currently Sheffield Wednesday’s top goalscorer during this campaign. The Scotland international has scored 28 league goals for the club since joining in 2016, having previously played for Sunderland, Wolverhampton Wanderers, Burnley and Hibernian.
Sheffield Wednesday’s last visit to CCS resulted in a 1-1 draw, with Sol Bamba securing the point for the Bluebirds with a dramatic last-minute equaliser. With Owls forward Gary Hooper putting the visitors ahead of the half-time break, City chased the lead for the majority of the second half.
The equaliser finally came for the hosts in the fifth minute of injury time, as City were awarded a free-kick from 30 yards out. Lee Tomlin struck the ball towards goal, seeing his effort tipped away by Keiren Westwood.
However, Nathaniel Mendez-Laing pounced onto the loose ball and quickly passed it past Westwood and back into the six-yard box, where Bamba was there to send it into the back of the net before celebrating emphatically in front of the USW Stand.
In the Hot Seat
Garry Monk has been in charge at Hillsborough Stadium since his appointment as Sheffield Wednesday manager in September 2019. Monk managed Birmingham City from March 2018 until June 2019, finishing his first full season in charge at St Andrew’s in 17th on the Sky Bet Championship table.
Beginning his footballing career as a centre back for Torquay United, Monk moved to Southampton in 1996. Following a series of loan spells, he joined Barnsley and later Swansea City, where he made over 200 league appearances for the club.
Following ten years playing for Swansea City, he managed the club between February 2014 and December 2015, later managing Leeds United and Middlesbrough before joining Birmingham City.
Player Links
Kadeem Harris began his senior career at Wycombe Wanderers in 2009, having previously played at the side as a youth.
Harris joined Cardiff City in 2012 aged 18, and made his debut for the Bluebirds the following year in an FA Cup third round match against Macclesfield Town. Following loan spells at Brentford and Barnsley, he returned to CCS in time for the 2016/17 season. During this time, the midfielder made 37 league appearances for the Bluebirds, scoring four goals in the process.
Making three appearances in the following season, Harris scored his last goal for City in their first victory of the 2018/19 Premier League campaign, sealing the three points by making the score 4-2 to the Bluebirds against Fulham in October 2019 with an 87th minute strike against the Cottagers.
Making 79 appearances for the Club during his time in South Wales, Harris joined Friday's opponents in July 2019, where he has since scored two goals in 11 Sky Bet Championship matches for the Owls.
