BLUEBIRDS GET A FLAVOUR OF HOW TOUGH IT IS AT THE TOP
9 1 days had elapsed from the moment Cardiff City secured a glorious promotion into the promised land of the Premier League with a 0-0 draw against Reading.
And in their final pre-season outing ahead of the club’s return to the big time, Neil Warnock’s men were beaten by a classy Real Betis side to serve as a reminder as to just how tough life in the top flight will be.
Prior to the match, Neil Warnock re-iterated in his programme notes that he was delighted with the club’s summer transfer business thus far, although he felt his side were still “two or three players short”.
And he opted to start with the centre-back trio of captain Sean Morrison, Bruno Manga and Sol Bamba, allowing wing-backs Joe Bennett and Lee Peltier to push further up the pitch.
It alleviated the concerns over the lack of depth in midfield, with Joe Ralls and Callum Paterson starting in the centre of the park.
The hosts started like a house on fire. They were ahead inside five minutes as skipper Sean Morrison’s inchperfect pass found Josh Murphy, who ghosted beyond Javi Garcia before lashing beyond the despairing Pau Lopez.
While the Bluebirds had the better openings early on, it was the visitors who dominated possession and the pressure on the Cardiff goal increasingly grew during the course of the opening 45 in South Wales.
Sergio Canales struck the Cardiff wall with a free-kick while Takashi Inui was a real livewire in attack for the away side.
Credit to Cardiff, they coped well with the pressure as Real Betis shifted the ball swiftly around the park, and even fashioned out a pair of chances of their own as Morrison headed over before Junior Hoilett blazed over after plucking the ball out from the air
However, Cardiff had Neil Etheridge to thank for thwarting Lorenzo Moron in the 22nd minute.
But the Philippines international was helpless just a minute later as Moron struck a shot low to Etheridge’s right to level the scores.
It swiftly went from bad to worse for the Bluebirds as the ever lively Cristian Tello cut in from the left before drilling an effort at goal, and it deflected into the back of the net off Sol Bamba’s leg.
The home side were finding chances increasingly hard to come by, but the sheer determination of Junior Hoilett saw the Canadian cross to Callum Paterson. The Scot couldn’t quite adjust in time to flick into the net.
Cardiff ended the half strongly as Hoilett burst through on goal before being bundled over right on the edge of the area.
But he struck the subsequent freekick against the wall, with Joe Bennett’s follow-up shot also being well blocked by the Spanish side’s defence. .
Warnock’s men had two final chances to go into the break level as they won a pair of corners in added time, although the first saw Morrison’s header deflected wide while the skipper was unable to adjust to shoot with the second cross meaning the away side led at the interval.
Warnock opted against making any changes, and it proved the correct call as Cardiff started the second half in the same manner in which they ended the first.
Murphy – the star performer -– linked up well with Reid before being put through on goal by the former Bristol City man, although his cross was well cleared.
And Hoilett tested Lopez moments later.
But the big opening of the second period fell to Murphy as he was put
through one-on-one with the Real Betis goalkeeper by Hoilett, although the ex-Norwich City winger couldn’t keep his effort on target. Warnock rung the changes midway through the second period as Cardiff continued to enjoy the better of the second period, with midfielder kingpin Joe Ralls the latest to sting the palms of Lopez with a rasping long-range strike. But clear cut chances proved few and far between in the final stages of the match, and Cardiff couldn’t find the all-important breakthrough to earn a share of the spoils, with Greg Cunningham firing wide with the final play of the game. It meant they suffered their first defeat of pre-season ahead of their Premier League opener against Bournemouth next weekend. Warnock certainly won’t panic. Real Betis will be playing Europa League football next term, and fully showed their class in their victory against the Bluebirds. But while there are plenty of positives to be taken from the defeat to Quique Setien’s troops, Warnock’s concerns over certain areas in his squad are understandable. It’s set to be a big week in the transfer market, one that could prove the difference between survival and relegation next term.