Sheffield Wednesday 1-2 Cardiff City: Impressive Bluebirds stun Monk's men
- Published
Robert Glatzel joined Cardiff City from German side Heidenheimon in July 2019
Cardiff secured their first win in five games with an impressive victory at promotion-chasing Sheffield Wednesday.
Neil Harris' side scored two goals in a rip-roaring opening eight minutes through Robert Glatzel and Junior Hoilett
Tom Lees pulled one back for Wednesday, who suffered their second successive loss after defeat at Stoke.
Garry Monk's men dropped down to sixth while Cardiff moved up one spot to 10th, two points off the top six.
It was Wednesday's first home league loss since August and only Cardiff's second away win of the season in the Championship.
Wednesday had two early chances but it was Cardiff who went ahead inside five minutes with Lee Tomlin's free-kick finding Glatzel, who scored his fourth of the season with a low finish.
Sheffield Wednesday responded to Cardiff's two early goals through Tom Lees' header
Three minutes later Tomlin was again involved in Cardiff's second goal and after combining with Jazz Richards his low cross was turned in by Hoilett.
Richards, in for the injured Lee Peltier, showed his worth at the other end by blocking Sam Winnall's effort before Neil Etheridge's excellent save denied Barry Bannan.
But Wednesday hit back and captain Lees reduced the deficit on 18 minutes as he rose higher than anyone to head home Bannan's corner.
Cardiff's hopes were disrupted by injuries to Joe Bennett and Nathaniel Mendez-Laing but they held on to their lead and Glatzel came close to adding a third before the break.
Wednesday searched for an equaliser after the interval with Adam Reach firing over the crossbar and Jacob Murphy denied by Etheridge.
Atdhe Nuhiu broke clear for the hosts in injury time but under pressure from the impressive Sol Bamba he fired wide and Cardiff held on to secure a first league win over the Owls since September 2014.
Sheffield Wednesday manager Garry Monk told BBC Radio Sheffield:
"I thought we started the game well, opening them up a few times. But it was two poor goals, from our point of view, that we conceded.
"Cardiff set up then to make it very difficult for us to break them down. A few things didn't help us - a lot of timewasting, a lot of stoppages - but we lacked that final edge to get an equaliser.
"The effort was there but we didn't help ourselves with the two goals against us."
Cardiff City manager Neil Harris said:
"I'm very pleased. We had to deal with some adversity as well and in a strange way being 2-0 up early on brings the downfall that you can be complacent.
"We had to rely on a few blocks and good saves from Neil Etheridge at 2-0 and then we concede and lose two players to injury within five minutes and had to reshuffle and go to a back five.
"You're asking a lot of the players but testament to the players' character. I'm really pleased with the group of players and the two goals we scored were outstanding."