ENGLISH LEAGUE CUP SEMI-FINAL, SECOND LEG Cardiff City 1 Crystal Palace 0 (1-1 on aggregate, Cardiff win 3-1 on penalties)CARDIFF CITY sealed a Wembley appearance after 10-man Crystal Palace finally succumbed 3-1 in a penalty shoot-out following a breathless encounter last night.
Palace, who conceded their first leg advantage after seven minutes, withstood increasing pressure from the home side, particularly following the dismissal of Paddy McCarthy with 12 minutes remaining.
But they could only convert one of their four penalties, with Cardiff’s passage to the final assured when Jonathan Parr missed his kick.
Cardiff had snapped into challenges feverishly from the outset, their midfield a blur of tackles to disrupt Palace’s attempts to settle. Parity in the tie was established in the opening exchanges. Aron Gunnarsson’s harrying claimed possession in the centre, Darcy Blake slipping Don Cowie to the by-line, and the winger’s cross was inadvertently nodded into his own net by Anthony Gardner at the near post.
The home side sensed vulnerability with Palace wounded. Peter Whittingham prompted Speroni to save from distance, though the opportunities that fell to Kenny Miller should have eased Cardiff well clear.
Firstly, Miller beat the advancing Speroni to the ball on the edge of the area but his low attempt dribbled wide of the far post. The Scot took his frustration out on the other upright in stoppage time at the end of the half, spinning to batter a half-volley against the woodwork.
Palace could point accusingly at a tug by Gunnarsson on Chris Martin at one of Darren Ambrose’s earlier free-kicks that went unnoticed by the referee Howard Webb, but their own threat on the break had hinged upon Wilfried Zaha’s slippery running at back-tracking full-backs. Opponents doubled up on the winger, but the teenager still wriggled clear to torment Blake in particular.
Yet Cardiff retained bite. Whittingham, steadily finding his range, saw a wonderful free-kick tipped over the bar by Speroni. When the goalkeeper was by-passed at another set-piece, McCarthy hacked Anthony Gerrard’s header from the goal-line.
That proved to be one of the last positive contributions from the Palace captain, the centre-half clattering through Miller from behind to earn a second booking and leave his side depleted through the frantic latter stages.
Guardian Service
CARDIFF: Heaton, Blake (McNaughton 80), Gerrard, Turner, Taylor, Cowie (Gestede 102), Whittingham, Gunnarsson, McPhail (Kiss 83), Conway, Miller. Subs Not Used: Marshall, Earnshaw, Mason, Ralls. Booked: Blake, Gunnarsson.
CRYSTAL PALACE: Speroni, Parr, McCarthy, Gardner, Clyne, Ambrose (McShane 79), Dikgacoi, Jedinak, Zaha, Murray (Easter 83), Martin (Scannell 75). Subs Not Used: Price, Wright, Garvan, Andrew. Sent Off: McCarthy (78). Booked: Clyne, McCarthy.
Referee: Howard Webb
