Cardiff 4-2 Fulham: Bluebirds record first Premier League win of season

Cardiff City moved off the bottom of the table after recording their first win of the Premier League season with a 4-2 home victory over Fulham.

Andre Schurrle opened the scoring for the visitors after just 11 minutes with a stunning 35-yard strike, only for Cardiff to hit back with two goals in quick succession.

Josh Murphy firstly levelled matters with a neat finish on the quarter-hour mark, before the recalled Bobby Reid gave the home side the lead just five minutes later.

In a ding-dong first half, though, Ryan Sessegnon equalised for Fulham 11 minutes before the break with his first Premier League goal.

However, Neil Warnock's team would not be denied as second-half strikes from Callum Paterson (65) and substitute Kadeem Harris (87) gave the hosts a much-needed three points.

As a result, Cardiff moved above their opponents and up to 17th in the table, while Fulham dropped to 18th having now conceded a league-high 25 goals this campaign.

With both sides in desperate need of a win, it was no real surprise that the first 45 minutes produced four goals in South Wales, the first a wonder strike from Schurrle.

The German was given far too much time and space to size up his options, although he still had work to do to beat Cardiff goalkeeper Neil Etheridge with a long-range effort that flew into the top right-hand corner of the net.

Cardiff responded to that early setback, though, as Murphy latched on to Sol Bamba's ball down the left channel, before powering into the box and beating Marcus Bettinelli with a low shot into the far corner of the net, albeit with the help of a slight deflection.

The hosts were soon ahead after Schurrle got caught in possession just outside his box, before Reid was slipped through on goal, with the forward doing well to slide the ball under the advancing Bettinelli.

It was not long though before Fulham got back on level terms as Aleksandar Mitrovic's lovely backheel released Sessegnon, who kept his cool to become the first player born in 2000 to score a Premier League goal.

But it was Cardiff who claimed all three points, with Paterson grabbing their crucial third goal midway through the second half after neat build-up play down the right between Aron Gunnarsson and Bruno Ecuele Manga.

The marauding right-back centred low into the box and Paterson swivelled before finding the bottom corner of the net, with Harris then sealing the win late on after good perseverance by Victor Camarasa.

Opta stats

• Cardiff have won their first Premier League game since April 2014 (vs Southampton), ending a run of 12 matches without a victory
• Fulham have failed to keep a clean sheet in their last 23 Premier League away games; the longest such run since QPR between October 2011 and November 2012 (also 23 games)
• Cardiff have scored 4+ goals in a top-flight game for the first time since September 1961 vs Chelsea (5-2)
• Sessegnon is also Fulham's youngest ever goalscorer in the Premier League (18 years 154 days)
• Cardiff's Josh Murphy scored in consecutive home league appearances for the first time in his career
• Fulham's Andre Schurrle has scored 73% of his Premier League goals in away games (11 of 15)

Man of the Match - Bobby Reid

The pacy Reid - who only joined Cardiff in the summer - was a constant thorn in Fulham's side with his willing running in behind the visitors' back line all afternoon long, in particular causing Denis Odoi any number of headaches.

However, it was the striker's composed finish after 20 minutes that really turned the match on its head, a memorable moment for the 25-year-old as it was his first-ever Premier League goal.

Managers

Neil Warnock: "We have played well the last few games really, without any reward," he said. "We made silly mistakes, even today we made silly mistakes.

"But all credit to the boys, they have played some good stuff today, good goals, could have had more and just great to get that three points. It is such a thing on your back, especially with all the pundits, so we needed a win.

"Everybody knew that and I thought the character shone through in the second half, which I was delighted with."

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Slavisa Jokanovic: "I can find the solution," said Jokanovic after the full-time whistle. "My job is to keep working and fighting to find the solution.

"Last year people were against us, but we found a way to improve ourselves and be more competitive.

"We showed some positive things, but the negative things are killing us. I will keep going and keep working for my best XI."

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What's next?

Cardiff take on Liverpool at Anfield next Saturday, with the game kicking off at 3pm.

Meanwhile, Fulham face Bournemouth at Craven Cottage, with that match also taking place at 3pm on Saturday October, 27.

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