Match Report | Cardiff City 1-1 Stoke City
Cardiff City battled to earn a point against Stoke City at Cardiff City Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
After falling behind to Josh Laurent’s early header, Sory Kaba found a deserved equaliser for the Bluebirds.
Sabri Lamouchi named an unchanged starting XI after a 3-1 win over Watford in midweek.
The Bluebirds posed a danger on the counter-attack, with Perry Ng driving forward and crossing into the area, just evading Ryan Wintle at the back post. With the visitors having a control of possession early-on, Stoke City took the lead in the 16th minute, as Will Smallbone’s corner was headed in by Laurent.
City reacted well to falling behind, as a well-crafted move saw captain Joe Ralls play in Kaba, who beat the offside trap and fired just wide of the post. The Bluebirds were rewarded for their positive response, equalising in the 29th minute through Kaba, who again got in-behind the Potters defence, this time finishing clinically past goalkeeper Jack Bonham for his eighth goal in a City shirt.
Just before the break, the hosts almost had another opening, as Kion Etete looked to find Kaba in space in the box, who couldn’t quite bring the ball under control. In another attack, Wintle found Kaba free on the left with a brilliant pass, allowing the striker to drive towards the Potters box, before being tackled by Connor Taylor. After a competitive opening period, the two sides went into the break level.
On the hour-mark, boss Lamouchi looked to his bench for reinforcements in search of a second goal, with Mark Harris and Jaden Philogene introduced in a double change. The latter made an instant impact, driving into the box, before being brought down by Taylor to earn City a penalty. With Kaba stepping up, Bonham dived correctly to his left to make the save.
The visitors then forced a chance through Tyrese Campbell, who beat the offside trap, but the danger was defended excellently by Mark McGuinness. City replied with a period of sustained pressure, with substitute Philogene particularly posing a threat. In a positive attack, Callum O’Dowda cut in from the left and struck towards goal, forcing Bonham into a save.
Despite City’s efforts to find a late winner, Lamouchi’s men recorded a valuable point. The Bluebirds return to league action in midweek, travelling to Rotherham United on Thursday evening (27/04), 8pm KO.
FINAL SCORE: CARDIFF CITY 1–1 STOKE CITY
Cardiff City: Allsop (Alnwick 67’), Romeo, McGuinness, Kipré, Ng, O’Dowda, Wintle, Sawyers, Ralls © (Philogene 59’), Kaba, Etete (Harris 59’). Subs not used: Simpson, Rinomhota, Ojo, Davies.
Stoke City: Bonham, Fox, Jagielka ©, Campbell, Gayle (Powell 74’), Tymon, Hoever (Sterling 65’), Smallbone, Pearson, Laurent (Baker 84’), Taylor. Subs not used: Fielding, Thompson, Celina, Okagbue.
