REID EM AND WEEP Warnock in tears as City dedicate victory to tragic Emiliano Sala
CARDIFF 2 BOURNEMOUTH 0
AFTER the outpouring of emotion came the battle.
Of course, Cardiff can count on the football world offering all the sympathy going as they try to come to terms with the tragedy of missing Argentine Emiliano Sala and the pilot of the private jet that disappeared over the channel 12 days ago.
Rightly, anyone with a heart is sympathising with the Bluebirds – and Sala’s former club Nantes – over the shocking, savage loss of their £15million record signing.
Yet, as Tuesday’s defeat at Arsenal proved, those condolences do not extend to the pitch.
All of which meant the grieving Welsh club, staring down the relegation barrel before kick-off, somehow had to put aside the sadness around Sala and focus on the business at the foot of the table.
And, wow, did the Bluebirds respond in brilliant fashion here to breathe fresh hope in the fight to stay up.
Fittingly, it was Bobby Reid – the striker Sala would have replaced – who bagged a double to lift the spirts of boss Neil Warnock’s wounded outfit.
His early penalty, allied to a calm finish at the start of the second half, wrapped up a vital first victory in six games to leave Cardiff just two points adrift of Burnley – and safety.
Nobody sh o u l d underestimate the superhuman effort it took from the group, rocked to the core by recent events, to defeat Bournemouth.
After all, the Cherries could scarcely have had a more different build-up to the game than their hosts.
Not only had they enjoyed a decent transfer window, adding quality in on-loan Nathaniel Clyne and £19m striker Dominic Solanke, both from Liverpool, their form had suddenly picked up.
After 10 losses in 13, that wretched run had been halted with back-to-back league wins.
And not just run- of- the- mill wins. Having sent previously in- form West Ham packing a fortnight ago, they then smashed FOUR past Chelsea in midweek.
After a poignant minute’s silence for Sala and pilot David Ibbotson, which followed the laying of two wreaths in the centre-circle, one wondered who would shelve their sad thoughts quickest.
We did not have to wait long for the answer. While Bournemouth froze, Cardiff flew out of the blocks – just as their remarkable leader Warnock had demanded.
They almost took the lead inside
Cardiff picked up their first Premier League victory in five games (D1 L3) with this, their first win by more than one goal since 60 seconds through Oumar Niasse. But his miss mattered not as, by the fifth minute, the Bluebirds were ahead.
What on earth possessed experienced Cherries defender Steve Cook to wave his hand at Josh Murphy’s cross is anybody’s guess.
It was a crazy thing to do, Jonathan Moss pointed to the spot and up stepped Reid to convert.
Fair play to the summer signing from Bristol City, who was under the most intense pressure imaginable – he made no mistake, slamming in from 12 yards.
As the fans, many of whom had been in tears moments before, jumped for joy, Reid and his teammates ran to the touchline to grab a T-shirt featuring the face of the colleague they barely knew.
Cue Bournemouth waking up, and finally entering the fray. In the 28th minute, while the stadium stood to pay tribute to Sala, who is 28, the applause was nearly silenced by Andrew Surman’s thunderous effort against the bar.
Any illusions Warnock’s troops would stroll to victory were removed in that moment.
A mere 15 seconds into the second half, however, they reappeared when Reid sprung the offside trap, nipped past keeper Artur Boruc and rolled in his second of the evening. Afterwards, Warnock (left) gave full vent to his emotions as he saluted the fans... and his tears fell.