Cardiff last won away from home in the Championship in April
Sheffield Wednesday had to settle for a draw at home to Cardiff City despite dominating at a storm-swept Hillsborough.
Ollie Tanner scored on the rebound after a flowing first-half counter-attack to put Cardiff in front against the run of play, but their lead lasted only two minutes as Di’Shon Bernard slid in to convert Josh Windass’ cross.
The Owls continued to apply pressure after the interval, while Cardiff posed only a fleeting threat as Rubin Colwill’s free-kick was saved.
Wednesday substitute Callum Paterson had the chance to score a late winner against his former club but saw his shot blocked.
The result lifts Wednesday up to 14th in the Championship table and Cardiff up to 19th, albeit before Saturday’s 15:00 GMT kick-offs.
Wednesday have impressed and frustrated in equal measure during a mixed start to this season, and Danny Rohl’s side will have expected more than just one point given how they controlled long spells of this game.
Cardiff, meanwhile, have improved markedly under interim manager Omer Riza but are now winless in three having lost their last two games before this month’s international break.
They are also without victory away from home this season but, given the balance of play here, the Bluebirds will be content with a draw.
It took less than a minute for Wednesday to assert themselves on this encounter.
Striker Ike Ugbo, who spent the first half of last season on loan at Cardiff, is still without a league goal in this campaign but thought he had finally got off the mark after just 38 seconds here, only for his neat finish to be ruled out for offside.
The Canada international had another chance eight minutes later as Barry Bannan carved open the visitors’ defence with a delicate lofted pass to Max Lowe, who laid the ball off to Ugbo, but his shot was blocked by Dimitrios Goutas.
The home side were well on top and, after Tanner forced Wednesday keeper James Beadle into a smart low save, Bannan created another chance with an excellent ball over the top for Windass, whose lobbed effort landed on the roof of the net.
Cardiff punished Wednesday’s wastefulness with a clinical counter-attack. Callum O’Dowda started the move near his own penalty area and freed Callum Robinson down the left. The former Sheffield United forward beat Shea Charles and, although his shot was saved, Tanner followed up to convert from close range.
That lead lasted only two minutes as Windass’ low cross from the right was turned in by sliding centre-back Bernard.
An equaliser was the least Wednesday deserved and they were almost ahead shortly before half-time but Ugbo was denied by Cardiff keeper Jak Alnwick.
The hosts continued to control the game after the break but chances were rarer, with Windass limited to a long-range effort that swerved wide.
Colwill tested Beadle with a powerful free-kick and Tanner did the same from open play, though Cardiff were still on the back foot.
Wednesday had a few more opportunities as the final whistle loomed but their finishing remained wayward to allow their opponents to leave Yorkshire with a draw.
Post-match reaction
Sheffield Wednesday manager Danny Rohl told BBC Radio Sheffield:
“I’m not happy. We tried everything to win this game – more chances, more ball possession, set-pieces all the things you need to win games.
“We conceded a goal that wasn’t necessary in the situation. All these games are tight and we’ve had chances to win them. We have to work on it.
“We missed four big chances. That’s hard to take. I can’t blame my team. We created more and more chances but we want to win games.”
Cardiff interim manager Omer Riza told BBC Radio Wales:
“I think it’s a good point away from home. We showed good resilience to make sure we came away with something.
“It wasn’t our best performance in terms of our in-possession quality but it’s a tough place to come and weather conditions weren’t great.
“But I thought everybody played their part in getting the point, so I’m happy with the result.”
