Cardiff City came back from a 1-0 first-half deficit to defeat Wolverhampton Wanderers at home 2-1 for a massive three points in the relegation battle.ย Aron Gunnarsson andย Junior Hoilett were the goalscorers who gave the home fans the dayโs excitement, striking 12 minutes apart for the victory.
Wolves struck first 18 minutes in off a corner, the seventh goal Cardiff has conceded from a set-piece this year. The ball swung in and came to the head of Raul Jiminez at the near post. His header was destined for the far corner, but Neil Etheridge made a diving save to push the ball away. His touch fell to a streaking Matt Doherty at the far post, and he roofed the effort from point-blank range.
Cardiff came incredibly close to an equalizer past the half-hour mark after a mad scramble in front of net led to a long-distance volley by Harry Arter that rattled the post, nearly producing a stunning strike.
After the break, Gunnarsson took advantage of poor defending from Wolves to bring Cardiff level. Arter pumped the ball into the box with a clumsy swing that popped it high in the air. Sean Morrison got his head to it, and with Wolves goalkeeper Rui Patricio indecisive and the rest of the defense nowhere to be found, Gunnarsson lept into the air and scissor-kicked the ball into the net from close range.
That set Cardiff up for the moment of the match came the hosts as Hoilett put them into the lead with 13 minutes to go. Morrison chested down a deep cross into the box, laying it off forย Callum Paterson right on the penalty spot, but he whiffed. The ball trickled to substituteย Bobby Reid whose wild swing was blocked, and eventually the ball landed at the feet of Hoilett at the top-left corner of the box. He produced what the others could not, a moment of perfection that sailed effortlessly into the top corner of the net, past a helplessly outstretched Rui Patricio.
That strike against the run of play set Cardiff City up for all three points, as the home side kept Wolves off the scoreboard the rest of the way and earned the three points. It was the perfect 70th birthday for Neil Warnock, as his side moved out of the relegation zone with its third win of the season.
For Wolves, itโs a disappointing result against a team they were expected to beat. They miss the chance to jump into the top half of the table, instead sitting in 11th, two points back of Leicester City.
