Cardiff City 1 - 1 Burnley. Match Report

Last updated : 02 October 2022 By BBC Sport

Mark Hudson's first game as interim manager of Cardiff City ended in a draw as Callum Robinson's late header denied Burnley victory in south Wales.

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After a quiet first half devoid of clear-cut chances the game burst into life in the second half.

Just three minutes after the restart Josh Brownhill's cross was met on the far side of the box by Ian Maatsen, who fired a pass back to Nathan Tella to tap home from a couple of yards.

Vincent Kompany's side looked to have seen the game out comfortably but, with injury time approaching, Robinson, on his home debut, headed home Mahlon Romeo's cross.

The home crowd sensed a winner, but substitute Max Watters could not capitalise when played through on goal as the excellent Charlie Taylor denied him a shooting opportunity.

Burnley dominated for the first hour of the contest but lacked a quality delivery for large spells.

The Clarets were also sloppy in possession at times, gifting Cardiff chances against the run of play.

First Josh Cullen was dispossessed midway into his own half by Mark Harris, Robinson drove forward with the ball but fired a tame effort wide well wide.

Sheyi Ojo was next to threaten but his effort was blocked by Taylor Harwood-Bellis before Robinson's rebound flew way over.

Cardiff's high pressing continued to cause Burnley problems, Harris slid in to dispossess Connor Roberts before squaring to Robinson, but Harwood-Bellis once again got across well to block the strike.

Robinson continued to threaten for Cardiff, narrowly flicking Joe Ralls' near-post corner wide after good work down the right by Romeo.

Burnley's first real sight of goal game in the 26th minute after patient build-up play, Tella was picked out in the Cardiff box and tried to find a yard of space before the ball ricocheted to Cullen who forced a smart save from Ryan Allsop.

Cardiff were almost the architects of their own downfall a minute later when Romeo's back-pass went straight to Josh Brownhill and the former Bristol City midfielder played through Tella, but he had strayed a yard offside and the chance was wasted.

Burnley turned up the pressure without threatening the Cardiff goal and were almost punished on the break.

Cedric Kipre's through-ball found Callum O'Dowda but the Republic of Ireland international could not find compatriot Robinson and the square ball was turned behind from the corner.

The resulting corner missed everyone in blue and Burnley went on a counter-attack of their own through Tella, who found Brownhill in acres of space in midfield an he played in Johann Berg Gudmundsson but the Icelandic winger's curled effort never troubled Allsop.

The deadlock was finally broken three minutes into the second half.

Brownhill's initial cross missed everyone but Maatsen fired the ball back to Tella to score unmarked from close range.

Cardiff protested the goal furiously, as Tella appeared to push Romeo to the ground from Brownhill's initial cross, but referee Gavin Ward was uninterested.

The Bluebirds tried to respond but it was the visitors who almost doubled their lead.

Ryan Wintle gave away possession cheaply midway inside his own half and Tella's strike from outside the area had to be blocked behind by Kipre.

Jack Cork could have made it 2-0 from the resulting corner but he put his free header at the back post wide of the right upright.

At the other end Wintle finally forced a save out of Arijanet Muric in the Burnley goal, but his low effort lacked the pace to trouble the Kosovo international.

Muric was called into action again on 72 minutes, as he parried away Romeo's deflected effort after another bursting run from the Cardiff full-back.

Burnley were happy to sit back and absorb pressure for final 15 minutes, and looked to have successfully done so before Robinson's header.

Substitute Watters played the ball wide to Romeo, who was Cardiff's best source of attacking creativity, and his cross was met by Robinson to earn the Bluebirds an unlikely point.

They could have won it when Watters was sent clear by Wintle, but Taylor, who was dominant at the back for Burnley, closed the Cardiff striker down to preserve the draw.

Burnley remain fourth in the Championship table, while Cardiff are 18th - two points ahead of the relegation zone.

 

Cardiff City: Allsop; Romeo, Ng, Kipre (Simpson 79), Nkounkou; Ojo (Sawyers 79), Wintle, Ralls (Rinomhota 64), O'Dowda (Whyte 72); Robinson, Harris (Watters 72). Subs not used: Alnwick, Nelson.

 

Burnley: Muric; Roberts, Harwood-Bellis, Taylor, Maatsen; Cork, Cullen, Brownhill (Bastien 88); Tella (Zaroury 64), Gudmundsson (Benson 64), Rodriguez (Barnes 64). Subs not used: Peacock-Farrell, Vitinho, Beyer.