U18 Match Preview | Swansea City vs. Cardiff City
Cardiff City’s U18 side begin their PDL Cup campaign on Saturday morning, as they make the short trip down the M4 to take on Swansea City – KO at 10:30am.
The young Bluebirds come into this one off the back of an enthralling 3-3 draw at home to Coventry City last weekend. After being 3-1 up with goals from Japhet Matondo, Troy Perrett and Dan Ola, Coventry hit back with two late goals, including a 99th minute equaliser from their goalkeeper Luis Lines. While the late equaliser was a sucker punch, coach Tom Hutton was pleased with certain aspects of the performance.
“It was disappointing to draw the game in the way that we did. It’s always a disappointment when you concede such a late goal when so much stoppage time is added on. We’ve reflected on the game this week as a group, in units, and as individuals.
“There was a lot of positives in the performance, there were moments of control, and we want more moments like that, because it allows us to take a lot of physicality out of the game. We are a young group who are still learning what U18 football is all about. But there were certainly a lot of pleasing aspects to the performance.”
The result leaves Hutton’s side bottom of the PDL South on one point. However, the league takes a pause this weekend as the PDL Cup gets underway. The tournament begins with a four-team group stage round. City find themselves in a group with Plymouth Argyle, Bournemouth and Swansea, and the Bluebirds start their campaign with a game away at the Swans.
Swansea find themselves one place above the capital club with one win to their name from their first three games. That win came on the opening day, but they have suffered back-to-back defeats to Crewe Alexandra and Sheffield Wednesday. Our U18s are on a long unbeaten run against the Swans, and Hutton is looking relishing the task in hand.
“It’s always nice to play in a South Wales derby because it adds that little bit of extra edge to the game. We’ll all be wanting to win the game, but it’s about playing the right way first and foremost. That goes hand in hand with winning because we do believe that, if we can execute our game plan in and out of possession and impose that on any opposition, that it will bring positive results. Overall, we’re looking forward to the game, the boys have trained well, and we’ll be ready for the game on Saturday.”
