Just when it appeared we were heading towards a draw, Cardiff City’s Jordon Mutch unleashed a wicked strike in stoppage time to grab full points for the Bluebirds.
Fulham vs. Cardiff City: Final score 1-2, Bluebirds snatch a victory late
A stoppage time strike from Jordon Mutch gave the Bluebirds their first away victory of the season.
Christopher Lee
While Fulham got off to a rough start, losing Scott Parker to an injury in the 7th minute, Cardiff City looked strong and took the lead in the 12th minute thanks to a Steven Caulker header. The chance came on a corner when Caulker lost his marker in the center of the Fulham area and then towered over Steve Sidwell, powering a header past David Stockdale to make it 1-0.
That goal was the first time the Bluebirds have scored in the first half all season.
Cardiff missed a chance to extend their advantage in the 27th minute when Ben Turner’s header from the left side of the six-yard box of a Peter Whittingham cross hit off the post.
Somewhat out of nowhere, Fulham equalized just before the halftime break thanks to Bryan Ruiz, who'd only entered the match four minutes earlier replacing Alexander Kacaniklic.
Sascha Riether found Ruiz with a pocket of space in the center of the pitch, roughly 20-yards away from the Cardiff goal and the Costa Rican did the rest. Ruiz took one touch and curled a shot into the top corner of the goal, leaving David Marshall frozen and unable to stop the effort.
Fulham continued to look better in the second half and came close to grabbing the lead in the 62nd minute. Again it was Sascha Riether providing the service, finding Dimitar Berbatov making a run at the far post. The pass was good but Berbatov had to attempt his header as he fell away from the goal and couldn't get enough control on the attempt, sending it over the cross bar.
Just when it looked like things would end in a draw, Cardiff ripped away the points in the 92nd minute. Jordon Mutch brought down a long free kick from Marshall, turned inside and away from Kieran Richardson and sent an absolute rocket into the upper corner of the net.
Fulham: Stockdale, Reither, Hangeland, Amorbieta, Richardson, Kasami, Sidwell, Parker (Karagounis 7’), Kacaniklic (Ruiz 40’), Berbatov, Bent (Taarabt 86’).
Goals: Ruiz (45’)
Cardiff City: Marshall, Théophile-Catherine, Turner, Caulker, Taylor, Medel, Bo-Kyung (Mutch 56’), Gunnasson, Whittingham, Odemwingle (Bellamy 81’), Campbell (Maynard 72’)
Goals: Caulker (12’), Mutch (92’)
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