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Will Cardiff and Swansea turn the Wenbley arch into a little piece of Wales?
So the longest season on record got even longer for four teams in the Championship. Cardiff Swansea, Fulham and Brentford have all booked their places in the play-off semi-finals.
Tim Hartley looks at the results and the prospects for the two Welsh teams involved.
And then there were four
A thumping 3-0 win against Hull City saw Cardiff book their place in the play-off semis.
For the Tigers it was the final act of a demoralising season which sees them demoted to League One. Nottingham Forest’s defeat to Stoke and Swansea’s excellent win against Reading means that both South Wales clubs are still in with a chance of returning to the Premier League.
Cardiff needed only a draw to seal their position in the top six but showed their hunger to win from the very start. With just five minutes on the clock, Robert Glatzel unleashed a vicious shot only for it to be parried away by George Long the Hull keeper. Cardiff played with real confidence and it was only a matter of time before they would score.
On nineteen minutes Junior Hoilett chested the ball down and made a fine solo run down the left into the box before smashing it into the bottom corner. Then Hull should have had a penalty. Mallik Wilks turned inside Joe Bennett. The left back stuck his leg out and there was definitely contact. Nothing was given. The Tigers can feel aggrieved not to have been back on equal terms.
Both side had good chances but Cardiff broke away and again worked the ball down the wing. From the ensuing corner Sean Morison made it two nil with a firm header from the ensuing corner.
The view from Wales as the Wednesday Championship showdown looms
Hull started much more brightly in the second half.
Wilks came close, a swivel and a volley to the bottom corner, only for the shot to be saved by the Cardiff keeper Alex Smithies. The Tigers roared, but not for long. Cardiff made sure of the win in the 82nd minute. Bennett’s free kick bounced off the keeper only for the substitute Danny Ward to follow up.
The Cardiff manager Neil Harris said:
“It’s a great credit to the group to have made it. It’s a huge achievement. I am fully aware every bit of praise for myself and my staff has been earned. I came in as not a huge name and I had to prove myself every week.”
Harris has indeed won over the Cardiff fans who were initially underwhelmed by his appointment.
Swansea joined Cardiff in the play-offs after hammering Reading 4-0 at the Madejski Stadium.
The Swans needed to win and for Nottingham Forest to lose to keep their season alive. It started well enough as Rhian Brewster struck with a 30-yard thunderbolt for the visitors. Despite a red card for Reading’s Yakou Meite the hosts equalised with a penalty from George Puscascame.
Wayne Routledge and Liam Cullen both scored to give Swansea the vital lead.
Routledge then headed in his second in added time. It was 4-1 to Swansea at the final whistle.
Forest folded to Stoke. The improbable had happened. Swansea too were through.
After the match their Head Coach Steve Cooper said:
“‘What an eventful night. We didn’t panic, we didn’t lump the ball into the box – we waited for our moment and scored four excellent goals. Then it was a bit of a blur late on if I’m honest.”
The semi-finals see the Swans play Brentford and Cardiff take on Fulham over two legs.
The tantalising prospect of an all-Welsh final then is still on the cards. Cardiff will be very wary of Fulham. Hull were no real test for them and the Bluebirds were beaten easily at Craven Cottage earlier this month.
Swansea may have a day less to prepare but after last night’s performance will be brimming with confidence as they face Brentford on Sunday.
In his programme notes before last night’s game the Cardiff manager Neil Harris said:
“Now is the time for calm heads, to play with freedom and to deliver quality again when it’s needed.”
At the final whistle there were no wild celebrations. At either end of the M4 in Wales both Harris and Cooper know they have won nothing yet.
Now is indeed the time for ‘calm heads.’
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