Riza post-Middlesbrough | A deserved point

Omer Riza
Omer Riza spoke to the press after the Bluebirds battled to a 1-1 draw at the Riverside Stadium.
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"I think every point is important." Omer began. "It's a tough place to come, an excellent side we played against today, and we managed to contain them with real resilience. I think we got a fair point.

"It's a deserved point if you defend well and you don't allow the opposition the opportunity to score goals. We know they would come quite aggressively, and we had to deal with a lot. 

"We managed to score after going 1-0 down, and Rubin [Colwill] could have had a goal at the end as well, but I'm very happy. I put Rubin in there because I know he can drop in, and he's got good size. It was a great challenge for him to go up against both of their centre halves."

Omer Riza

Calum Chambers scored a stunner to level the game, with Omer full of praise for his performance in holding midfield.

"He's played there before, he's comfortable, he's mature, can play with the ball under pressure and he defends well. At the moment, he's doing a great job for us.

"To top it off with a goal, especially after going 1-0 down, is credit to the boys. If they had scored the second goal at a place like this, I think it's hard to get back in the game. But the boys are showing fighting spirit, they're working hard.

"We need to show a little bit more quality in possession when we're under pressure, not turn the ball over and give it back to them to allow them to hurt us again. There were moments in games, which we spoke about at half time, where we had to be better in possession once we’d won it back. 

But, you know, it’s tough. You’re under pressure, you’re trying to pick up points, and the whole situation can be overbearing sometimes for players. But they’ve come through the game,  I think we’ve picked up five points in our last three against tough opposition, and we need to keep taking that forwards."

Omer Riza

Omer also commented on striker Callum Robinson, who missed the match due to suspension.

"We appealed against the red card, and they didn't overturn it, which I was disappointed with. It's a three game ban.

'He's our talisman, he gets the goals, but we have to find an answer. We've come today and we have still created. We've got boys that can go in there and do the job."

Watch more from Omer on Cardiff City TV.

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