Report and free match highlights from the Sky Bet Championship match between Cardiff City and Stoke City at the Cardiff City Stadium on Saturday | Potters sink into bottom three after suffering defeat in South Wales.
Saturday 24 February 2024 18:19, UK
Cardiff ended their six-game winless run at home with a 2-1 Championship victory over relegation-threatened Stoke.
The Bluebirds started well and took the lead in the fifth minute as Kion Etete headed the ball beyond Daniel Iversen.
Karlan Grant doubled Cardiff's lead after 32 minutes before Bae Jun-ho's first goal for Stoke in the 41st minute gave the visitors hope in south Wales.
But the Potters were unable to find an equaliser after a strong second-half showing as they lost for the sixth time in seven outings to drop into the bottom three.
Erol Bulut's hosts went into the contest having failed to score in any of their previous four home matches.
But the Bluebirds made a dream start as returning captain Joe Ralls' corner was headed home by Etete via a flick by Jordan Thompson.
It was the striker's sixth goal of the campaign, but his first since late September and it set the tone for what was a positive start from the hosts, who then saw Rubin Colwill fire a tame shot at Iversen.
Steven Schumacher's side settled after a sloppy start though and came within a whisker of levelling from their first attack.
Million Manhoef split the Cardiff defence to put Niall Ennis through on goal, although the forward dragged his shot inches wide.
That slip-up aside, Cardiff looked solid at the back and following a brief flat period, they doubled their lead.
Colwill battled to retain possession on the deck before Ralls threaded the ball through to Grant, whose effort went across Iversen and into the net.
It was a far cry from Cardiff's recent blunt home showings and the away supporters would have feared the worst when Iversen scrambled to keep out a Nat Phillips header.
But they were handed a lifeline just before half-time after Perry Ng fouled Bae on the edge of his own box.
Ethan Horvath could only push Lewis Baker's drilled free-kick into the path of Bae, who tapped home from close range.
Ralls had a shot blocked in the dying moments of the first half which ensured the contest remained finely poised ahead of the second.
Lynden Gooch and Josh Laurent replaced Junior Tchamadeu and Luke Cundle for the second 45 and the Potters set out to find an equaliser.
Ennis prodded an effort straight at Horvath before the United States goalkeeper denied the frontman from an acute angle moments later.
Baker then headed wide from Thompson's cross as Stoke piled on the pressure.
The home side barely laid a glove on their opponents in the second half, with Perry Ng lashing a free-kick into the Stoke wall and Yakou Meite heading wide.
Stoke continued to push for a late leveller, but they slumped to a third-successive away defeat, while victory was Cardiff's first in five showings.
Cardiff's Erol Bulut:
"When we had the last win at home, it was a long time ago. The confidence was not the best in the team because we lost games.
"I said after the last game (against Blackburn), 'this is a game where we have to get our confidence back'. We got one point and this game was to continue to build on our confidence.
"It was a must today to get three points. I'm really satisfied with the performance of the team.
"Of course, you can add in parts of the game, better football, but in the situation we're in right now, the first half was really good. We scored two goals, we got an early goal from a free-kick.
"We fought until the end to not concede a second goal."
Stoke's Steven Schumacher:
"It's understandable because we've lost another game of football. I think they can see that the players have tried and gave 100 per cent.
"In two key areas of the game we haven't been good enough. That's been a recurring theme throughout the whole season - not just lately - and that's why we're in the position that we're in.
"So we get it, all we ask is, we all need to stick together because we're going to need their support for the next 12 games.
"It's similar to what I've said numerous times since I've been here. A team that's been in control of the game, created more chances than the opposition, had more corners and more attempts at goal, but we've lost it because we've been punished from two errors and haven't been clinical in our finishing."
