‘THAT WAS FOR SALA’
Emotional victory for Bluebirds:
CARDIFF City delivered a truly inspiring performance to beat Bournemouth 2-0 – one Emiliano Sala would have been immensely proud of.
The Cardiff fans had sang the Argentine’s name throughout a stirring 90-minute display from their side, which was marked by two Bobby Decordova-Reid goals.
In securing this desperatelyneeded victory, Neil War no ck’ sm en went some of the way towards lifting the gloom that has been hanging over the club during a truly harrowing time.
The Bluebirds paid an emotional tribute to Sala before the game, with an impeccable moment of silence and a mosaic in the striker’s Argentina and Nantes colours, among other superb tributes.
And on the pitch, they had a flying start. Reid won the penalty in the first five minutes before dispatching the spot kick home himself.
Cardiff captain Sol Bamba then led goal-scorer Reid and the other players over to the dugouts to unveil a message of tribute to the Bluebirds striker that fans never got to see in action.
The Bluebirds might have had a second in the opening half hour, with chances for Josh Murphy and Oumar Niasse.
But it was Bournemouth who came closest next, Andrew Surman curling a sensational shot that was bound for a top corner before a flying save from Neil Etheridge onto the crossbar.
The 28th minute was marked by applause from all four sides of Cardiff City Stadium – with the Canton End chanting ‘sing a song for Sala’ throughout the match.
Cardiff continued to probe throughout an absorbing first half, with Murphy’s tantalising cross forcing a last-ditch clearance from Adam Smith.
If the Bluebirds had started the first half well, then they started the second even better.
Niasse again held it up, laid it back to Aron Gunnarsson whose pass was ideally weighted for Reid to race onto, dance around Artur Boruc and stroke home.
That made it 2-0 and bedlam in the Canton. It all felt somehow idyllic.
Despite the odd flicker of danger from the Cherries, it proved simple enough for the hosts to see out the triumph.
Cardiff fans got to their feet and loudly sang their new Sala chant during the game’s closing moments - a fitting finish to an emotional and wonderful occasion in the Welsh capital.
Warnock struggled to hold back the tears after the final whistle after watching both his club’s players and plans proving a real credit to Cardiff City.
There’s clearly plenty of fight left in these Bluebirds.