The Bluebirds fall short against Spurs
Written By: Robert Halter
Cardiff City were winless in seven matches with Tottenham Hotspur ahead of the Bluebirds visit to Wembley stadium in early October. Straight from kick off Josh Murphy, had a punt at goal from the centre circle. In the fifth minute, Kieran Trippier combined with Moussa Sissoko, whose strike was cut out by Bluebirds captain, Sean Morrison. After a short corner between Trippier and Lucas Moura, from a cross by Trippier, a downward header from Davinson Sanchez, deflected off Joe Bennett, and at close range, Eric Dier, turned the ball into the left side of the net for a Lilywhites lead on eight minutes. Cardiff looked for a quick response through a Victor Camarasa assist, but a low strike from Harry Arter, was calmly collected by Hugo Lloris. In the sixteenth minute, after collecting the ball from Moura, a strike by Sanchez in the centre of the box was saved by Neil Etheridge, at the bottom right corner. In the twenty first minute, Trippier and then Sissoko set up Moura, who on the turn fired his strike straight at Etheridge. Midway through the first half, the Bluebirds went close when from Callum Paterson’s headed pass, it fell to Murphy, who rounded Lloris, and his chip across to Junior Hoilett, was hooked off the line by Toby Alderweireld. Then from the proceeding corner by Camarasa, a header by Sol Bamba, flew over. In the twenty ninth minute, through a Moura pass forward, a low shot by Harry Kane was kept out off the body of Etheridge. Ten minutes later from a Trippier cross, the ball was ballooned over from Moura’s header. On forty one minutes, through a headed pass by Paterson, it set Murphy free, but an alert Lloris, diffused the situation. But within a minute, Heung-Min Son wriggled through on the left side of the area, and his pull back was dragged wide of the left post by Moura. In the forty fifth minute, after collecting the ball from Sissoko, a strike by Son was blazed over the crossbar in range of the target. Spurs were quickest out of the traps for the second half, when a cross by Danny Rose was met with a bullet header by Kane that was pushed out from Etheridge, and then the follow up effort by Moura, was cleared off the line from Morrison. On fifty six minutes through a lay off by Son, the ball was pulled wide of the left post from a drive by Kane. But the Bluebirds were reduced to ten men as Joe Ralls received a straight red card from referee Mike Dean for clumsily turning over Moura, while he was charging down the right flank. After Alderweireld dragged down Paterson, a free kick from Camarasa was met with a well timed header by Morrison that Lloris pushed against the inside of the left post, in the sixty fourth minute. Then a penalty claim for Spurs was turned away after Bruno Ecuele Manga caught Rose in the area. Later the Lilywhites replaced Son with Erik Lamela, who made an immediate impact as his left footed shot in the centre of the box was stopped by Etheridge, after Sissoko had created the opportunity in the seventy fourth minute. A double change was made by Cardiff as Kadeem Harris took over from Hoilett and Danny Ward replaced Paterson, but the appearance by Ward was short lived as he pulled up injured and Bobby Reid took over while at the same time Tottenham took off Sissoko for Victor Wanyama. After Rose was brought down by Murphy, he required treatment and Ben Davies took over. The proceeding free kick from Trippier, was then pushed away with a double handed block from Etheridge, in the eighty eighth minute, before Spurs completed their third 1-0 win on the spin over the Bluebirds in the Premier League.