Working hard in front of their back-four, Cardiff's central two of Gunnarsson and Medel really impressed. Gunnarsson even played the pass of the half, the ball lifted over Javi Garcia and Joleon Lescott. Campbell raced through, and shot just wide as Hart rushed out.
Campbell could have had a hat-trick in the first half. When the uncertain Garcia, a poor understudy for Kompany, misjudged the ball, Campbell darted through but Hart spread himself well. Gunnarsson then found Kim down the inside-right channel. Garcia blocked for a corner. Whittingham's curling delivery was punched clear by Hart. Cardiff were not respecting the vaunted name of their guests. They were determined to show they belonged at this level. The noise from their fans was almost relentless, especially when the second half proved a classic.
The game burst into life after the break, the Cardiff City Stadium really rocking. First, Manchester City took the lead through Dzeko. The Bosnian was outstanding against Newcastle United on Monday, doing everything but score. He had been quiet here, failing to get the better of Caulker or Turner, Cardiff's huge centre-halves. Suddenly, a gap opened up, created by Sergio Aguero's back-heel. Turner, for once, stood off, and Dzeko placed a rising shot past David Marshall.
Cardiff responded instantly. Kim ran with pace and skill at Clichy, beating the left-back and sweeping the ball low and hard into the box. Campbell, nipping in ahead of Zabaleta, was first in, sliding a shot which Hart pushed out. Gunnarsson reacted quickest, beating Lescott to the ball which he drove right-footed past Hart.
Alvaro Negredo came on, his identity questioned by the home fans. Manchester City pushed hard to regain the lead but Cardiff would not yield. Turner cleared an Aguero shot. Caulker blocked Samir Nasri's effort. The defiance was unmistakeable. They were not content with a point. Cardiff sensed the vulnerability in Hart's defence. When Bellamy won a corner off Clichy, Whittingham's corner curled over, and Campbell, beating Zabaleta, stormed in to head the hosts in front. Cardiff fans responded with a brief Poznan, perhaps a retort to the away contingent's earlier taunt of "where were you when you were blue?''
Those in red shirts simply built on their lead, simply gave their fans another opportunity to do the Poznan. From a Don Cowie corner, Campbell was again given to much freedom and this time he leapt up to head in. The Cardiff fans gasped when the fourth official indicated six minutes of injury time, their pulses quickening further when Negredo rose above Turner to head in Silva's cross. When Negredo hooked over from close range with seconds left, the fans beseeched Lee Probert for the final whistle. When it came, a party 51 years in the making really got started.
No comments:
Post a Comment