Cardiff City 1-1 Barnsley: Toby Sibbick earns point for Tykes after Marlon Pack strike

Cardiff City have lost only one of their last 15 league games against Barnsley, a 4-3 home loss in the 2016-17 campaign.

Cardiff City and Barnsley settled for a point apiece in an entertaining season opening 1-1 draw in the Welsh capital.

Home midfielder Marlon Pack headed home from a corner early in the second half, before Toby Sibbick's composed finish levelled for the visitors.

Both sides saw goals ruled out for offside either side of half-time in a contest that was engaging throughout.

The game was played in front of a returning crowd of more than 17,000 at the Cardiff City Stadium.

It was an emotional afternoon in the Welsh capital, with supporters returning for a league match in a stadium close to capacity for the first time since February 2020.

A pre-match video paid tribute to hundreds of Bluebirds supporters who died during the coronavirus pandemic, while former Cardiff midfielder Peter Whittingham was also remembered on a poignant afternoon.

The first half would have reminded fans what they have been missing as an entertaining 45 minutes saw several chances at both ends and a raucous atmosphere.

The visitors, who were much-changed after several key players followed ex-manager Valerien Ismael out of Oakwell, were no less pleasing on the eye in Markus Schopp's first game in charge as they zipped the ball about impressively.

Carlton Morris fired just over after a Cardiff mistake on eight minutes, before Cardiff debutant James Collins shot straight at Brad Collins as Mick McCarthy's side looked to play directly and decisively.

Former Luton striker Collins looked lively on his debut and thought he had opened the scoring on 27 minutes, but his effort was rightly ruled out for offside as he headed home Curtis Nelson's cross.

That came 10 minutes after Cardiff missed a golden chance to lead, with Leandro Bacuna blazing over from close range after Ryan Giles' teasing cross.

It was a major let-off for the Tykes but they also missed chances, with Morris stabbing over from Cauley Woodrow's cut-back, while Woodrow tested Cardiff goalkeeper Dillon Phillips - who needed to be at full stretch to tip his shot around the post on 30 minutes.

Cardiff finished the half strongly and Joel Bagan looked like he would have a tap-in on 38 minutes, but Michal Helik denied him with a goal-saving last-ditch tackle that had no margin for error.

Another huge chance fell to Bacuna shortly after the restart as Perry Ng's cross found him unmarked at the back post, but he could not divert the ball on target at full stretch.

Barnsley saw a lovely move culminate with Dominik Frieser applying the finish on 51 minutes, but the goal was ruled to be offside.

It proved a decisive miss as Cardiff's aerial prowess paid dividends, when Pack rose to head home Ryan Giles' outswinging corner on 54 minutes.

Giles' delivery could be a potent weapon for Cardiff this season and Aden Flint almost doubled their lead with a header from a free-kick on 66 minutes, but Collins saved.

The missed chance was pivotal as Joel Benson's long, diagonal pass brilliantly found Sibbick, who raced forward and fired low and across Phillips for a fine equaliser, moments later.

Both sides sniffed a winner, but Morris fired over from a Tykes counter-attack and Cardiff failed to get substitute and last season's top scorer Kieffer Moore into the game as the Bluebirds avoided an opening date defeat for the first time in four seasons.

Cardiff City manager Mick McCarthy told BBC Radio Wales:

"It was emotional and having fans back in was great, it was a shame we couldn't turn it into a win.

"You won't have a tougher physical game than that and if you aren't going to win, don't get beaten.

"I've been around a lot of crowds and that was as good as any.

"I hope we can improve on that and give them something to really shout about.

"There is a lot to be happy with. You can't knock the team for effort and work-rate and playing for the shirt."

Barnsley head coach Markus Schopp said:

"Having the crowd back again makes the game different.

"From Barnsley to Cardiff is far so we appreciate all the fans who came.

"It is nice that we could get a point for them. I remember the shot of Cauley (Woodrow) and the finishes of Carlton (Morris).

"Cardiff also had chances but, over the 90 minutes, we had a bit more."