Match Report | Cardiff City 2-3 Swansea City
It was late disappointment for the Bluebirds, who fell to a 2-3 defeat to Swansea City on Saturday afternoon.
The away side took the lead in the third minute, as Joël Piroe found space in the box and fired into the roof of the net. City responded well, almost equalising through Joe Ralls, who couldn’t quite make clean contact with Callum O’Dowda’s cross from the left. The visitors went close to doubling their lead, as Olivier Ntcham had an effort blocked, before Harry Darling struck just wide.
As City searched for an equaliser, some direct play from Jaden Philogene saw him beat Ntcham and deliver into the area, with the referee waiving away appeals for handball. In another attack, Sheyi Ojo drove towards the box and fired at goal, forcing goalkeeper Andy Fisher into a save.
The Bluebirds went close in a period of sustained pressure, leading to Mark McGuinness volleying into the path of O’Dowda, who couldn’t quite make sufficient contact. City continued to create chances, as captain Ralls’ brilliant cross was headed just over by Kaba.
Swansea City doubled their lead in the 33rd minute through Liam Cullen, who headed in after Piroe’s effort was tippoed onto the woodwork by Ryan Allsop. City responded brilliantly, halving the deficit just two minutes later, as a fine piece of skill and finish by Philogene saw the Bluebirds pull a goal back.
Just before the break, a positive attack started through Ralls, who dispossessed Piroe and set Philogene free on the right. In a three-on-two situation, the winger couldn’t quite find the on-rushing Ojo in the area.
On the hour mark, the Swans went close to regaining their two-goal advantage, as Cullen crossed low for Piroe, whose heavy touch in the area was crucial. City boss Sabri Lamouchi looked to his bench for reinforcements, making a double substitution, which saw Rubin Colwill and Connor Wickham enter play.
Fellow replacement Romaine Sawyers went close to instigating an equaliser for City, chipping the ball over the Swans defence in search of Kaba, who was just beaten to the ball by Fisher. The hosts found a deserved leveller in the 83rd minute, as Colwill was found on the right side of the box and crossed to the back post, where Kaba was on-hand to head home.
As the Swans applied pressure late-on, midfielder Matt Grimes struck a dangerous effort towards goal, which hit the bar. A dangerous set-piece gave the away side a chance of settling the game, which they did. Piroe's original free-kick hit the wall, the forward struck again, this time hitting the post, with Cabango in the right place at the right time to tap home at close range.
FINAL SCORE: CARDIFF CITY 2–3 SWANSEA CITY
Cardiff City: Allsop, McGuinness, Ng (Romeo 90’), Kipré, Philogene, O’Dowda (Sawyers 46’), Wintle, Ralls ©, Rinomhota (R Colwill 61’), Ojo (Wickham 61’), Kaba. Subs not used: Alnwick, Simpson, I Davies.
Swansea City: Fisher, Manning, Cabango, Darling (Paterson 77’), Grimes ©, Ntcham (Cooper 52’), Piroe, Cundle (Fulton 46’), Cullen (Latibeaudiere), Wood, Walsh (Allen 64’). Subs not used: Søndergaard, Whittaker.
