Callum Robinson’s goal gives Cardiff City a 1-0 victory over Hull City in a tense Championship match. Hull boss Selles bemoans lack of cutting edge.
In a tense encounter at Cardiff City Stadium, Cardiff City secured a vital 1-0 victory over Hull City in their Sky Bet Championshipmatch. The match, characterized by nerves and a lack of early quality, saw Callum Robinson’s deflected second-half volley prove to be the difference between the two sides.
First Half Struggles
The first half was largely uneventful, with both teams struggling to create meaningful chances. Robinson managed two shots for Cardiff, one wide and the other saved, but neither side could assert dominance. The lack of quality prompted grumbles from the home crowd, despite a late surge from Cardiff’s Cian Ashford, whose pass found Yousef Salech, only for his shot to be saved by Hull goalkeeper Ivor Pandur.
Second Half Breakthrough
The second half began with greater intensity. Perry Ng’s free-kick tested Pandur early on. The breakthrough came when Chris Willock’s cross was cleared to Robinson, who volleyed the ball into the bottom corner with a deflection.
Cardiff’s Defensive Resolve
Despite taking the lead, Cardiff dropped back, inviting pressure from Hull. The visitors toiled for an equaliser, and Alfie Jones’s header from Abu Kamara’s cross was saved by Cardiff goalkeeper Ethan Horvath. Cardiff’s defence held firm, denying Hull’s attacking efforts and securing the three points.
Team Lineups
Cardiff City: Horvath, Ng, Fish, Chambers, O’Dowda (C), Rinomhota, Mannsverk, Robinson, Ashford, Willock, Salech.
Substitutes: Turner, Lawlor, Bagan, Giles, Robertson, R Colwill, El Ghazi, Méïté, Davies.
Hull City’s Frustration
Hull City boss Ruben Selles expressed his frustration with his team’s lack of cutting edge. Despite dominating possession, Hull managed only one shot on target, in the 82nd minute. Selles bemoaned his side’s inability to create clear-cut chances and their lack of aggression. He said, “We are all frustrated with our performance tonight. I don’t think it was a bad performance. We were not ruthless enough and we were not as aggressive or as intense as we wanted to be.”
Selles added, “We got the control of the game having the ball, but we didn’t get any penetration, any threat, any second movement into the box, any movement in and around there.”
Injury Concerns for Hull
Hull City also faced injury concerns, with Eliot Matazo leaving the pitch with a knee injury and Sean McLoughlin forced off with a back problem. Steven Alzate was also not fit to start due to discomfort.
Conclusion
Cardiff City’s victory was crucial in their fight to move away from the bottom of the table. While the match lacked overall quality, Robinson’s goal and Cardiff’s defensive resilience proved to be enough to secure the win. Hull City, on the other hand, will need to address their attacking struggles and injury concerns as they look to bounce back in their upcoming matches.
Sources: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/live/c4gerlkpdgjt
https://www.cardiffcityfc.co.uk/news/team-news-cardiff-city-vs-hull-city-0
https://www.hulldailymail.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/frustrated-ruben-selles-questions-hull-9968832