NO HOME COMFORTS FOR THE BLUEBIRDS
CARDIFF City slumped to their second consecutive home defeat of the season after Reading claimed a 2-1 victory in the Welsh capital. After an even first half it was two goals after the break from Michael Morrison and Lucas Joao which put the Royals in the driving seat.
And, despite a late strike from substitute Lee Tomlin, the damage had already been done.
The game itself began with a scrappy opening.
Both teams felt each other out and cancelled out their attacks, which primarily came through long balls and set pieces early doors.
And while the hosts arguably began the better of the two sides, the first meaningful attack was produced by the Royals when Liam Moore lofted a ball down the middle of the pitch, which Lucas Joao latched on to and headed towards the bottom corner, but Alex Smithies got down smartly to deny him.
But Cardiff did hit back with a chance or two of their own.
Just before the half-hour Jordi Osei-Tutu found Kieffer Moore with a lovely ball down the wing and the striker whipped in a first-time cross for Leandro Bacuna, but his scuffed volley was gathered by Cabral.
The best chance of the first half, however, no doubt fell to Reading.
A mix-up between Greg Cunningham and Marlon Pack saw a misplaced pass get picked up by Joao 20 yards from goal.
The striker turned Sean Morrison and drilled a low shot bound for the corner but, unsurprisingly perhaps, Smithies was down sharply to tip it around the corner.
That was the last good chance of the half and, heading down the tunnel, neither team could gripe that the tie was goalless.
But the second half had barely kicked off when City found themselves behind.
Olise whipped a lovely free-kick into the box and Royals defender Morrison found space in between Curtis Nelson and Greg Cunningham before heading home emphatically to put the visitors ahead.
Cardiff had to hit back and quickly and they very nearly did through Will Vaulks just minutes later.
Osei-Tutu was found on the right flank and he dragged a pass back to Pack on the edge of the box, where the midfielder laid the ball into the path of the Welshman. Vaulks absolutely hammered his shot from 20 yards but saw it whistle narrowly past the post.
Neil Harris then called for the cavalry with Lee Tomlin being introduced on the hour as the game visibly began to break down and the Bluebirds sought to attack.
One such attack saw Junior Hoilett lay the ball into the path of Leandro Bacuna, who hit a low shot from just outside the box, which took a deflection off Michael Morrison and forced Cabral into making an excellent save with his outstretched leg to deny a certain goal.
Inevitably, though, as
Cardiff pushed for an equaliser, gaps began to appear.
Some sloppy work from Sheyi Ojo in the middle of the park gifted possession to Reading, who broke quickly to get to the Cardiff box through Josh Laurent.
The midfielder then threaded a pass through to Lucas Joao, who turned Nelson and rammed it into the back of the net from close range to double the lead on 66 minutes.
But Cardiff stuck at it, they threw men forward and tried to utilise the set piece and that is how they got their goal.
Pack clipped in a lovely cross and Kieffer Moore rose well to head at goal, but his attempt was cleared off the line. Tomlin, though, was on hand to follow up and squeeze it home with less than 10 minutes to go on the clock.
Notwithstanding nine minutes of extra-time, though, Cardiff just couldn’t find that all-important second goal to level the tie.
It meant two defeats in three games and Cardiff’s second in a row at home.
Not at all the start Harris, nor City fans, will have wanted.