Match Report | Cardiff City 1-2 Huddersfield Town
In the final home game of the season, Cardiff City were defeated 2-1 by Huddersfield Town.
City manager Sabri Lamouchi elected to make three changes to the side that defeated Rotherham United on Thursday night. Jack Simpson, Romaine Sawyers and Sheyi Ojo all came in to replace Perry Ng, Callum O’Dowda and Sory Kaba.
For much of the first half hour chances weren't easily presented, as both sides tried to fashion out a clear-cut opportunity. The Bluebirds defended Huddersfield’s crosses well, while up the other end, Jaden Philogene’s shot from 25-yards flew over the bar.
As the half progressed, the home side were making themselves comfortable. Philogene was released down the wing by Mahlon Romeo, but no one could get a shot away from his cross. The ball eventually filtered out to Romaine Sawyers on the edge of the box, but like Philogene, he could only put his effort over the bar.
With ten minutes remaining in the first half, Huddersfield created their best chance up to that point. The ball fell kindly to Jack Rudoni in the box, and as he shot towards goal, Sawyers put his body on the line brilliantly to block his effort away for a corner, that came to nothing.
Three minutes later, Philogene had City’s best chance of the match. Some good interplay on the edge of the box led to Sory Kaba playing in the forward, but his shot only found the side netting. Both sides had pushed, but heading into the break, it was goalless.
Just after the hour mark, the Terriers took the lead. A loose touch from Sawyers was capitalised on by Joseph Hungbo and he drove into the box before powering his effort past Jak Alnwick.
Seven minutes later, the visitors had doubled their lead. A free kick from Rudoni took a couple of deflections on its way through into the box, and Matty Pearson was the back post to head home, deflecting again off Jack Simpson.
Things almost went from bad to worse for the hosts as Huddersfield nearly found their third. Josh Koroma worked his way in from the wing, but his fierce shot hit the post. The ball rebounded to Hungbo at the far post, but he hit the bar from close range.
After coming under heavy pressure for majority of the second half, City reduced the deficit with seven minutes to go. A short corner was played out to Philogene and his cross was mesmerically backheeled in by substitute Isaak Davies, as the Bluebirds were now on the hunt for the equaliser.
Rubin Colwill thought he almost had the leveller, as his curling shot looked destined for the top corner, but Lee Nicholls in the Huddersfield net pulled off a blinder of a save to deny the substitute.
While the Bluebirds did rally late on, it wasn’t to be, as the Terriers took all three points.
FINAL SCORE: CARDIFF CITY 1-2 HUDDERSFIELD TOWN
Cardiff City: Alnwick, Romeo (R. Colwill 73’), McGuinness, Wintle, Ralls © (Davies 55’), Etete (Kaba 14’), Ojo, Sawyers (Wickham 73’), Kipre (Rinomhota 73’), Philogene, Simpson. Subs not used: Luthra, Ng.
Huddersfield Town: Nicholls, Pearson, Hogg ©, Koroma (Kasumu 82’), Ruffels, Rudoni, Ward (Rhodes 65’), Lees, Diarra (Hungbo 46’), Helik, Headley. Subs not used: Vaclík, Edmonds-Green, Jackson, Waghorn.
