Following today’s clash between Cardiff City and Sunderland, here are the instant reactions from both managers.
Cardiff City hosted Sunderland at the Cardiff City Stadium on Saturday January 13, with the hosts taking a comfortable four nil victory.
After a scoreless first half, the game exploded into life in the second period as Callum Paterson opened the scoring within 60 seconds of the restart. The visitors were then reduced to ten men with Didier Ndong being sent from the pitch, and Cardiff took full advantage with Joe Ralls finding the net before Paterson completed his brace. In stoppage time Anthony Pilkington added their fourth.
The win moves Cardiff back up to second place in the Championship table, but it certainly wasn’t the return former Welsh gaffer Chris Coleman was hoping for – especially with Swansea roots.
Teams:
Cardiff:
Etheridge, Ecuele Manga, Morrison, Bamba, Richards, Mendez-Laing (Wildschut 59), Paterson, Ralls, Bennett, Hoilett (Feeney 81), Zohore (Pilkington 82).
Substitutes:
Tomlin, Halford, Damour, Murphy.
Sunderland:
Ruiter, Jones, Browning, O’Shea, Clarke-Salter, Oviedo, Gooch (Asoro 60), Ndong, Wilson (Cattermole 45), Honeyman, Maja (McManaman 78).
Substitutes:
Steele, Matthews, Love, Robson.
Speaking to the BBC’s cameras a short time after match day referee Andy Madley blew the final whistle, Cardiff manager Neil Warnock explained.
‘We’re bound to be a bit low on confidence. You could see we were apprehensive in front of goal. We just had to work hard to get that goal and fortunately we got that early in the second half. You could see that relief. Then we were free to play. We stepped up a gear then, it was great. They looked sharp again. It’s been like that all week. They’ve looked sharp. It was good. We played some good stuff, some good goals. The energy was back.’
Sunderland manager Chris Coleman in his comparative interview explained.
‘It was painful. I can’t accept conceding 45 seconds into the second half. We can’t make those sorts of mistakes where we are. With the sending off, sometimes I’ve seen them given, sometimes not. But that wasn’t why we lost. To give them a goal like that, you can’t do that, well you can, but we’re going to stay where we are. It’s bitterly disappointing. Soft mentality, simple as that. No toughness. Toughness is not just physical, it’s not just about nailing someone. Toughness is mental, staying strong, making consistent decisions. It’s no coincidence where we are.’
