ACTION FROM BLUEBIRDS’ CLASH WITH FULHAM
Cardiff City earned a draw against 10-man Fulham after Josh Murphy’s first-half strike was cancelled out just minutes later by Aleksandar Mitrovic, writes Glen Williams.
The two teams exchanged early blows before Murphy calmly slotted home to take the lead just before half time, but it was the sucker punch from Fulham that knocked the wind out of the hosts’ sails.
Mitrovic was found at the far post and levelled to go into the break, but it was the sending off of Harry Arter that really brought the encounter to life.
The former Bluebird was given his marching orders in the second half, but Cardiff just could not capitalise despite the electric atmosphere which captured the dying moments of the game.
The floodlights were lit and Cardiff City Stadium was rocking with anticipation ahead of Friday night’s encounter.
Rewind 12 months and this was a Premier League fixture, but, ahead of this clash it was two clubs desperate to get three points to head into the international break on a high.
The Bluebirds were coming off a defeat in the Carabao Cup and a drab goalless draw up at Blackburn Rovers, while the Cottagers had also suffered the same fate in the cup, but lost to Nottingham Forest last weekend.
Ahead of the tie, all arrows were pointing towards a goal-fest. Cardiff were struggling to stop conceding goals and Fulham boasted one of the most vaunted strike forces in the league. Compare that to the Bluebirds, whose strikers couldn’t buy a goal prior to kick-off, and you had yourself quite the contrast, however there was definitely an air of hope swirling around the stadium in the Welsh capital.
The visitors started strongly, the Aleksandar Mitrovic-Ivan CavaleiroAnthony Knockaert working in complete unison to fashion a number of good early chances.
Fulham certainly came to play, goalkeeper Marcus Bettinelli looked at every opportunity to play the ball short, while the midfielders and forwards linked up almost seamlessly.
However, Cardiff were in no mood to entertain such pretty play either, Joe Ralls and Leandro Bacuna were the enforcers in the middle of the park trying to hinder any fluency.
The visitors’ early control settled into parity once Neil Warnock’s side got a foothold in the game and both sides enjoyed a number of chances.
While Fulham enjoyed the more clear cut opportunities, chiefly through their vaunted front three, Cardiff always looked likely to produce a gilt-edged chance.
And then it came. Aden Flint won the ball in midfield, looked up and, to his surprise, Murphy was clear on the left-hand side.
The centre back sent the ball through and the winger took one touch, two, three, looked up and drilled one past Bettinelli into the bottom corner.
The stadium erupted, indeed it was still bouncing when the next chance fell to Robert Glatzel.
Lee Tomlin played him in with a sublime reverse pass and the striker unleashed a blind shot, but it was straight at the keeper from no more than five yards out.
Then came the body blow. Fulham broke up the other end and Tom Cairney found Ivan Cavaleiro in the box before the winger scuffed a hopeful shot across the box.
This time to his surprise, Mitrovic was unmarked at the back post and tapped home the easiest of chances to silence the crowd and get the tie back on terms at the break.
Again it was much of the same, Cardiff ceded the lion’s share of possession, sat deep and wanted to hit the visitors on the break. But they scarcely saw the ball.
Then came the flashpoint. Harry Arter, who had been jeered all evening, scythed down Joe Ralls with a dreadful challenge and went straight into the book.
Then, just a minute later, he appeared to take a dive after knocking the ball beyond Sean Morrison and the officials adjudged it to be another bookable offence.
He is made to do the walk of shame as thousands of City fans cheer his exit vociferously and it was that which ignited the spark in this Bluebirds side in the second half.
Fulham dropped deeper, Cardiff piled on the pressure, but still it wasn’t enough, this Cottagers defence would not be breached again.
Ralls whistled an attempt wide of the post from range before Glatzel steered a late header past the upright late on.
The 10 men of Fulham were resolute and they managed to deal with everything Cardiff threw at them.
In the end, a point for each side was probably fair, but Cardiff know they will have to return from the international break with a lot more gusto if they want to get this promotion charge on track.