Cardiff's Junior Hoilett and Robert Glatzel dent Leeds' promotion hopes
Just like that, Fulham’s trip to Elland Road next Saturday has quadrupled in significance. Marcelo Bielsa frenetically rubbed his hands together in the dugout but he could not conjure a comeback as Leeds United returned from the enforced break with a bump.
In the end Bielsa, for so long head bowed, arms folded, was roaring his players on with great urgency but ultimately left to bemoan errors by two of his most consistent performers and the ruthlessness of a dogged Cardiff side, who prospered from their only shots on target courtesy of brilliant strikes by Junior Hoilett and Robert Glatzel.
Cardiff proved fiendishly difficult to break down and, when Leeds did carve an opening, Patrick Bamford inadvertently blocked Jack Harrison’s goalbound shot in front of Alex Smithies, who later saved superbly to prevent Tyler Roberts prodding in from close range.
As Bielsa acknowledged, this was a golden opportunity missed but results 24 hours earlier provided scant consolation, with Fulham’s defeat to Brentford and West Bromwich Albion’s draw ensuring an implosion is required if
Leeds are to relinquish their grip. As for Cardiff, they are quietly going about their business under Neil Harris and victory hoists them to seventh, firmly in the play-off conversation.
The first goal came after Kalvin Phillips unusually surrendered possession cheaply, allowing Hoilett to drive towards goal while Callum Paterson and Joe Ralls preoccupied the Leeds defence with overlapping runs. Hoilett’s stinging shot zoomed into the top corner beyond Ilaln Meslier and, to celebrate, he poignantly held aloft a Cardiff shirt bearing Peter Whittingham’s surname in tribute to the midfielder who died in March.
Before kick-off there was a minute’s applause to honour Whittingham, as well as the late Norman Hunter and Trevor Cherry, who were commemorated with flags in the away end. A Whittingham banner that read “City Loves You More Than You Will Know” was also strewn across three blocks of seats in the Ninian Stand. “He was a great teammate,” Hoilett said. “It was great to score a Peter Whittinghamtype goal with my left foot in tribute.”
Leeds lacked conviction in the final third but Cardiff suffocated waves of attacks. Paterson was a nuisance as an unorthodox striker for the home side and Leeds’ frustrations told in the stockpiling of yellow cards. Normally so unflustered Ben White and Liam Cooper, the captain, could never relax despite their side dominating possession.
Cardiff doubled their advantage when one substitute supplied another, with Nathaniel Mendez-Laing stealing another loose pass before teeing up Glatzel, who smacked in an effort off a post. Bielsa shook his head, startled as his best-laid plans unravelled before him. “It was a strange match – not a normal match,” Bielsa said. “They shoot twice and they scored twice. It is not normal, this average. We made two mistakes and conceded two goals. Normally with eight [shots on goal], you score your own goals. We had circumstances in the match that were not on our side.”
For Cardiff, who face five of the top-12 teams in their remaining eight matches, including sixth-placed Preston next Saturday, there is every reason to feel optimistic. “The play-offs have to be the target,” Harris said. “I wanted to stamp my mark on the team, but we are getting better all the time and there is more to come from us. I just hope we get there quickly enough. I think it shows we haven’t been affected by not having a crowd and that the players are focused and hungry to be successful. We can compete with the best teams in the division and Leeds are the best team.”
The niggling accusations of Bielsa’s sides running out of steam will inevitably be levelled at Leeds before they welcome third-placed Fulham but victory would surely go a long way to exorcising any demons in their attempt to return to the top flight after a 16year hiatus. For hardy Leeds supporters it does not even bear thinking about but, in the event Fulham yield victory in Yorkshire, the gap will narrow to four points with seven games to play. Before then, fourth-placed Brentford host West Brom on Friday in search of successive wins and determined to make what once seemed a procession at the summit anything but. Leeds’ grasp does not feel quite so secure.