Sheyi Ojo’s thunderous strike was enough to give Cardiff City a deserved victory over Preston North End in Deepdale
The Liverpool winger was on hand just after half-time to strike at home after a wonderful counterattack movement, giving the Bluebirds another success on the road
No Championship team has collected as many away points as Cardiff since Neil Harris took over – and the hosts rarely seemed too capable of threatening a well-organized City side
In addition to earning three essential points, Harry Wilson was drafted for his City debut, although it came at the expense of another Greg Cunningham injury
The injuries of the Irishmam and Jordi Osei-Tutu will be of concern, but overall it will be still a good day at the Bluebirds office
The past few days have been largely overwhelmingly positive, with exciting Liverpool lender Wilson among a trio of signings secured on deadline day
Wilson was named to the bench for the trip to Deepdale, along with other arrivals Filip Benkovic and Dillon Phillips
Indeed, after seeing some signs of promise in the 0-0 draw with Blackburn, boss Neil Harris opted against any overall change, with injury to Joe Bennett and suspension to Lee Tomlin causing the only changes.
Nonetheless, the first 45 minutes in Deepdale provided a pretty compelling explanation for why someone of Wilson’s quality was so needed.
Junior Hoilett should have done better after being knocked out by Sean Morrison’s knockdown in the zone, but was only able to buckle his effort well over the bar in the opening 10 minutes
At the other end, Alex Smithies was called up midway through the first half, cleverly claiming to deny Sean Maguire’s tilted effort after a nice brace with former Swansea City striker Scott Sinclair
Joe Ralls struggled to really fill the Tomlin-shaped hole behind Kieffer Moore, while Ojo and Junior Hoilett just couldn’t find the final correct ball for much of the first 45 minutes
Defensively, on the other hand, it was a superb start, with the excellence and leadership of skipper Sean Morrison generally at the heart of it all.
Nonetheless, with few signs of a breakthrough, changes were still likely, and they came arguably under the most cruel of circumstances
Cunningham, recruited to cover injured Bennett, will still feel he has a point to prove at Cardiff given his recent injury issues
But his first league visit to Deepdale since leaving in 2018 was cut short just after half an hour, after stopping with a suspected hamstring injury
The sight of the 23-year-old wearing a Cardiff shirt is likely to cause quite a few blackouts in the Welsh capital, but it was his Wales teammate Kieffer Moore who was closest to coming out of dead end
However, the 28-year-old just couldn’t keep his head down following a superb teasing cross from Osei-Tutu
Despite much of the fanfare around Wilson in recent days, Moore remains an integral part of this City squad, and it was his contribution that sparked Cardiff’s life right after the interval
Superbly outperforming his man halfway, Moore made his way through the midfield, before slipping into Ojo inside the zone
The loaned Liverpool looked up, ignored Wilson’s screams in the middle, before snorting at home with a sensational finish
It was a counterattacking goal as good as you are likely to see, but Cardiff’s ruthless defensive duo of Morrison and Curtis Nelson also deserved praise, offering little chance for a Preston’s frontline to find the home net this season
Cardiff received another stab when Osei-Tutu limped, while Jayden Stockley almost stabilized late but was only able to direct his head into the arms of the Smithies
But an equalizer would have been tough for Cardiff, who were worth their victory and are now ahead of their rivals in the league table
Preston XI: Rudd; Rafferty, Bauer, Davies, Hughes; Ledson (Stockley 76), Pearson; Potts (Barkhuizen 60), Browne, Sinclair; Maguire (Riis 67)
Cardiff City XI: Smithies; Osei-Tutu (Bamba 77), Morrison (c), Nelson, Cunningham (Wilson 29); Pack, Bacuna; Ralls, Ojo (Vaulks 79), Hoilett; Moore
Does just enough to put off Stockley as a menacing cross kicks in The ball deflects behind for a goal kick
Osei-Tutu seems to have gotten up there I’m not sure what the problem is, but he is unable to continue
Cardiff has a chance to give a free kick Wilson doesn’t quite get the right delivery and it’s clear Bacuna tries to keep him alive, but his ball is processed
Cardiff were on the back foot for the first few minutes of this half, but it’s a counterattack goal as good as you are likely to see
Moore succeeds brilliantly in winning it halfway through and he pushes his way through midfield with Ojo and WIlson in support
He slides into Ojo, who takes a touch inside the zone, before crushing him into the net
Potts unleashes a low half volley at the edge of the area, but it’s straight down the Smithies Gorge
Missed opportunity for Cardiff Pack wins a free kick halfway through Preston’s half He chooses to play it down for Ojo wide, but the winger’s ball is terrible and Preston cleared
Take a chance from a distance, but fail to make their way through a crowd of players
Receives the ball on the left moments later and pierces a cross
Right-back Osei-Tutu unlocks the defense His cross to the far post to the right finds Moore’s header, but the forward can’t keep his head down
What a shame Cunningham can’t continue here I was chasing the ball and seems to have shot himself with a hamstring
Bacuna tries his luck at about 30 meters, but it’s straight to Rudd, who is holding well
Moments later, Ojo intervenes from the right His first shot is blocked, but he regains the rebound and has another shot
The corner is whipped towards Moore at the far post Preston is clear, but that’s only up to Hoilett, who makes an effort towards the goal, but fails to make his way through a crowd of players and Preston survives
Good save by Smithies to turn down Maguire, who plays a nice one-two with Sinclair before throwing in a practice goal Comfortable enough for the city keeper, indeed
Both teams are really struggling to keep possession in this opening rally as Davies looks to free Hughes on the left for Preston
Pack has a chance to test Preston with a long throw into the box after Cunningham’s cross is kicked away from the feet of a crouching Morrison
Preston smuggles him in, but Cardiff gets him back and a cross is delivered deep to Morrison inside the box He leans in for Hoilett, but the Canadian is hopelessly mistaken and he floats comfortably above the bar
Preston has a Whipped corner well enough, triggering some sort of scrambling inside the Cardiff box, but the Bluebirds pretty much cleared Believe Moore did it
Hosts exert some pressure at first, but have nothing clear yet
At the other end, Moore grabs a ball in the lower right and wins a corner at the byline
The turn floats to Hoilett on the left, but his cross is too close to the keeper, who claims
Preston North End FC, Cardiff City FC, EFL Championship, Sheyi Ojo, Alan Browne
World News – GB – Sheyi Ojo stuns Harry Wilson’s debut to claim victory Bluebirds
