Our win was for Emiliano
ARON GUNNARSSON says the Emiliano Sala tragedy has brought Cardiff closer together after another emotionally charged win lifted Neil Warnock’s side out of the bottom three.
The Bluebirds boss told his players: “This one was for Sala”, following a dramatic finale at St Mary’s. And captain Sol Bamba said the Argentinian was “watching from up there” after he scored in City’s first match since the body of their £15million striker was recovered from the bottom of the English Channel. It was another extraordinary day – and win – for the Welsh club. “It was an emotional finish,” said Gunnarsson. “The most important thing was for the family to mourn. And knowing that now, hopefully the pilot will be found and his family can mourn.
“It has been difficult but we have stuck together and today our gaffer said after the game, ‘This one was for Sala’. The last two weeks has brought us closer together as a unit. “I stood there after the last home game looking at the fans, to see what kind of club it is. It brought everyone together, the performances and the fans and the lads and everyone around the club have been amazing at this difficult time. “It has been really difficult but the boys have stuck together with everyone around the club. That spirit we showed is what we need. We need togetherness at this point in this league.”
Bamba leapt into the away fans to celebrate his 69th-minute goal, and substitute Kenneth Zohore came late to the party when he scored the 93rd-minute winner. Jack Stephens had equalised for the Saints in the 91st minute. Bamba added: “It couldn’t get any better and to celebrate in front of the fans was massive. There was a lot going through my mind after scoring. I knew Emiliano was watching from up there, so it was so good to get the three points.” Since Sala’s tragic disappearance on January 21, Cardiff have lost narrowly at Arsenal and beaten Bournemouth and Southampton for their first consecutive top-flight wins for 37 years.
“It has got to have had some kind of an impact,” said Warnock. “The group has always been tight, a close-knit group, but since this nightmare has happened, they have been unbelievable.”
Cardiff’s players have now been given time off, with the next fixture at home to Watford on Friday week. Lee Peltier, who made a superb double block in the second half, said: “The whole squad has poured everything into the last few games so it will be nice to have a few days off with our families and friends because as we have seen, you don’t know what is around the corner and it gets you thinking.”
Warnock added: “The club gave me permission to fly out to Tenerife, to take them all for four days, but after what’s happened over the past two weeks I’d rather cuddle my kids if I’m honest and see my missus, because it has been a long two weeks.”
Southampton manager Ralph Hasenhuttl called their first league defeat this year a “disaster”, while captain Pierre Hojbjerg branded the performance “unacceptable”.
“We were close to the draw but we gave it away twice so we didn’t deserve anything,” said midfielder Oriel Romeu. “We are scoring a lot more than before and creating a lot more chances. In that aspect we are doing better. But it was way too easy for them.”
SOUTHAMPTON (3-4-1-2): McCarthy 5; Bednarek 6, Stephens 5, Vestergaard 6 (Elyounoussi 72, 5); Valery 5 (Gallagher 83), Romeu 7, Hojbjerg 4, Bertrand 5; Ward-Prowse 5; Redmond 5, Long 5 (Austin 72, 5). Booked: Ward-Prowse, Redmond, Romeu. Goals: Stephens 90. NEXT UP: Arsenal (a), Feb 24 PL.
CARDIFF (3-5-2): Etheridge 7; Peltier 8, Ecuele Manga 8, Bamba 8; Paterson 7, Arter 6, Gunnarsson 7 (Bacuna 62, 5) Ralls 6 Bennett 6; Niasse 6 (Camarasa 83), Reid 6 (Zohore 62, 7). Booked: Gunnarsson, Bamba, Zohore. Goals: Bamba 69, Zohore 90. NEXT UP: Watford (h), Feb 22 PL.
Referee: M Atkinson (West Yorkshire).