Cardiff City show their title credentials
Cardiff City thrashed Leeds United 4-0 at Elland Road in the Championship on Monday 25 October.
The Welsh side joined Queens Park Rangers at the top of the table on 29 points and are only in second place due to QPR’s superior goal difference.
Jay Bothroyd scored two goals, while Michael Chopra and Lee Naylor grabbed a goal a piece to complete the rout for Cardiff.
Leeds started the match better than Cardiff and Alex Bruce should have converted a header from a Robert Snodgrass cross. Jonathan Howson also went close with a well struck 25 yard effort.
However, it was Bothroyd who scored the opening goal of the match in the 22nd minute after some terrible defending by Leeds United.
Leeds defender Bruce failed to deal with Cardiff City’s goalkeeper Tom Heaton’s hoof up field and a mix up with his own keeper Kasper Schmeichel allowed Bothroyd to nip in and pass the ball into an empty net.
Leeds managed to bounce back after conceding the calamitous opening goal. Howson went close after he jinked past a number of challenges only for the ball to get stuck under his feet and the chance was snuffed out.
Craig Bellamy could have extended Cardiff’s lead, but Schmeichel saved his powerful volley. While, Bothroyd should have made it two, but he dragged his shot wide and Cardiff went in 1-0 up at half-time.
Leeds were overrun in the second half and it appeared ominous for the hosts when George McCartney just managed to clear Gabor Gyepes’ header off the line.
Welsh striker Michael Chopra doubled Cardiff’s lead after he remained on-side and was left with only the Leed’s goalkeeper to beat. Mark Hudson provided the assist when he won the ball off Leeds defender Davide Somma who squandered possession.
In the 56st minute, a flowing Cardiff move resulted in Bothroyd scoring his second goal of the night. Some good work by Bellamy allowed him to find Chris Burke and the Scottish international crossed for Bothroyd who’s low strike found the back
of the net.
Bellamy was instrumental for the visitors and his pass set up Naylor who rifled a left footed strike past the static Schmeichel from 25 yards to make it 4-0 on the hour.
Leeds did improve for the remainder of the game and forward Luciano Becchio scored a header only for the linesman to rule the effort out for off-side.
The goal would have been scant consolation as Cardiff dominated the game. The win sent out a warning to the other sides in the league.
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