Cardiff City secured their place in the Fifth Round of the Emirates FA Cup in dramatic style at the bet365 Stadium.
A thoroughly entertaining cup tie that saw the lead swing between both sides, with Ethan Horvath’s late penalty shootout heroics seeing the Bluebirds progress further in the competition.
Following a promising start, City were ahead inside the opening ten minutes thanks to Rubin Colwill.
The forward’s solo effort saw him cut inside from the right wing with the ball at his feet, being given plenty of time and space as he worked his way to the edge of the area before dispatching beautifully with his left foot.
Not ten minutes later, City had doubled their lead. Having missed a headed effort moments earlier, Yousef Salech claimed his second goal of the season to go with his first start in the blue shirt, battling to connect with Joel Bagan’s prospective ball over the top. Taking advantage of a defensive mix-up, the striker finished well to increase the deficit.
Following the second, the hosts found their footing as they began applying offensive pressure on the Bluebirds.
André Vidigal fired a number of shots just wide of the mark from distance, while the Potters threatened from wide positions, as City were tested by several dangerous crosses, demanding plenty of the visitors’ backline.
With a few minutes remaining before the interval, Stoke City halved the deficit. Played through into the area, Lewis Koumas finished clinically in towards the far corner, past the reach of Horvath.
Play ran back and forth into injury time, with Chris Willock’s strike being held one moment and Joel Bagan sliding to make a crucial interception the next, without either side able to alter the scoreline before the break.
Koumas levelled the scores two minutes after the interval, cutting into the City area before striking in.
The hosts took the lead ten minutes later, following a foul by Jesper Daland inside the City area, who was injured in the process and substituted by Calum Chambers.
Stepping up to take the penalty-kick, Lewis Baker scored the Potters’ third of the afternoon, with Horvath going the right way but not quite able to get a glove to it.
With further changes made, substitutes Joe Ralls and Callum O’Dowda were called into action immediately following the introductions, as the City skipper put in a tremendous challenge inside the City area to deny a certain shot on goal.
Bolstered by the changes, City were good on their earlier promise as Colwill bagged his second of the afternoon to level the scores once again. Though O’Dowda’s shot was blocked by Bonham, Rubin received the rebounded ball and quickly shot on goal from outside the area, right as the Bluebirds looked to go on the front foot and press on.
City looked for their fourth and very nearly found it as Callum O’Dowda broke down the left with ten minutes remaining. Opting to play a square ball towards awaiting blue shirts, Joe Ralls struck, with his driven right footed effort demanding a good stop by Jack Bonham.
The Bluebirds had one final chance before nine added minutes played out, as Will Fish’s header was also held by the Potters’ shotstopper.
With 30 minutes of extra time underway, both sides settled into play at a slower pace, with the sole big chances of the first 15 coming Emre Tezgel and Will Fish each seeing headed efforts held.
The final 15 minutes saw more end-to-end action, beginning with Will Alves demanding a good stop from a wicked effort inside the area, winning a corner-kick.
On the other side of the pitch, Fish and Bagan were put to the test as they threw themselves into making key blocks to deny Tezgel, time and again making crucial interventions at the back. With no further goals scored, the fixture was to be decided by penalty shootout.
Thanks to a terrific Ethan Horvath save to deny the hosts their third shot following Tatsuki Seko’s earlier miss, Colwill stood up and ended the contest with a terrific shot from 12 yards, to the delight of the 1,046 City supporters who had made the trip!
Cardiff City: Horvath, Rinomhota, Fish, Bagan, Giles (Daland 47’, Chambers 55’), Mannsverk (O’Dowda 63’), Ramsey (Ralls 63’), Colwill, El Ghazi (Alves 82’), Willock, Salech. Subs: Turner, Ashford, Robinson, Šimić.
Stoke City: Bonham, Rose, Burger, Vidigal, Baker, Juno, Koumas, Tchamadeu, Gibson, Wilson-Esbrand, Tezgel. Subs: Fielding, Stevens, Pearson, Seko, Lawal, Phillips, Dixon, Curley, Fawunmi.