Cardiff City 3-0 Huddersfield Town: Kieffer Moore double helps Bluebirds to victory
- Published
Kieffer Moore has scored in back-to-back games at the Cardiff City Stadium
Cardiff City secured back-to-back wins for the first time this campaign as Kieffer Moore's double and a Robert Glatzel strike gave the Bluebirds a 3-0 win against Huddersfield.
Neil Harris' side spent long periods of the game without the ball but deservedly led at half-time as Moore caught the Huddersfield defence sleeping to turn home Sheyi Ojo's cross.
Another defensive error led to Cardiff's second, as substitute Junior Hoilett stole the ball off Naby Sarr inside the Huddersfield box to square for Moore, who had the simplest of finishes.
The points were sealed as substitute Glatzel turned brilliantly inside before rifling in a shot off the crossbar to ensure Cardiff leapfrogged Huddersfield up to 11th in the Championship.
After losing to Coventry last week the pressure had reached breaking point for manager Neil Harris but six points from two games has got the Bluebirds moving in the right direction again.
As they did against Luton on Saturday, Cardiff started strongly, peppering the Huddersfield box with long throws, corners and early crosses.
Sean Morrison felt he should have won a penalty after 13 minutes after going down under contact, but referee Kevin Friend waved away the vocal protests.
The game's first shot on target came just before the half-hour mark. Huddersfield, who dominated possession throughout, finally found some joy out wide to cross for former Bluebird Danny Ward, but his first-time volley was straight into the arms of Alex Smithies.
Cardiff's first real opening came shortly after as Moore flicked on Ojo's cross, but the industrious Mark Harris could not add the final touch at the back post.
But the Ojo-Moore combination paid off next time, as the Liverpool loanee's cross was met at close range by Moore to open the scoring after 35 minutes.
The Terriers remained in control of possession in the second half and as the minutes ticked by their attacking threat increased.
First Carel Eiting saw his 20-yard effort saved by Smithies, before Josh Koroma, who scored the winner against Middlesbrough at the weekend, charged down on goal but his indecisiveness allowed Cardiff to get back in numbers and remove the danger.
Koroma continued to grow into the game and stung the palms of Smithies from a tight angle as Cardiff began to drop deeper and deeper.
But against the run of play Sarr's poor touch gifted the ball to Hoilett who put the ball on a plate for Moore to score his fourth goal in four games.
The visitors brought on another former Cardiff striker in the form of Fraizer Campbell, and his curling effort from just outside the area almost gave Huddersfield a lifeline.
Instead it was another Cardiff substitute, Glatzel, who got his name on the scoresheet late on after beating Ramari Edmonds-Green with a neat turn before firing in off the underside of the crossbar.
Cardiff City manager Neil Harris told BBC Sport Wales: "We knew Huddersfield would have a large percentage of possession and make us run.
"I picked the same team even though I'd knew there would be some tired legs but the players deserved to off the back of the Luton game.
"We asked so many questions of them, with some quality football and set players.
"We have tightened up the last couple games. It was another great performance but the standards have been set so if we are to be successful they need to be at that level again."
Huddersfield Town head coach Carlos Corberan said: "We started the second half better and played in their half, but then we conceded a key second goal in a situation we can avoid.
"We have to accept the result, as they were better than us in both boxes. We had a lot of the ball, but we didn't create enough chances - especially in the first half.
"After the second goal, they protected their goal and the game became difficult for us."
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