Cardiff climbed off the foot of the Premier League by beating Fulham 4-2 to record a first win of the season.
By Phil Blanche, Press Association Sport
October 20 2018 4:11 PM
Cardiff climbed off the foot of the Premier League by beating Fulham 4-2 to record a first win of the season.
Fulham laid claim to the goal of the game through Andre Schurrle’s majestic early strike, but the league’s leakiest defence soon conceded twice to the excellent Josh Murphy and the energetic Bobby Reid.
Highly-rated 18-year-old Ryan Sessegnon levelled before half-time with his first Premier League goal, but makeshift striker Callum Paterson restored Cardiff’s lead and substitute Kadeem Harris secured the victory three minutes from time.
FULL TIME: #CardiffCity 4-2 @FulhamFC That winning feeling! ???? Superb performance from the boys! ???? #CARFUL #CityAsOne ????⚽️????⚽️ pic.twitter.com/9wcTTo7K6W
These two sides were familiar foes, with Cardiff having edged out Fulham for second spot in the Championship last season, leaving the Cottagers to rely on the play-offs to win promotion.
Familiarity appeared to bring a certain contempt for defending, with chances allowed at will as the sides sought to improve on an abysmal record of one win between them in 16 league games.
Murphy unveiled his shoot on sight policy in the opening exchanges, forcing one full-length save from Marcus Bettinelli before another effort bobbled wide.
But Fulham went ahead with their first goal after 11 minutes through a brilliant strike.
Schurrle shifted the ball on to his right-foot and his 30-yard effort beat Cardiff goalkeeper Neil Etheridge as the Germany international registered his fourth goal of the campaign.
Murphy soon saw Bettinelli push out his low shot, but Fulham had not kept a clean sheet in the league and the Cardiff man was not to be denied when Calum Chambers gave away possession after 16 minutes.
Sol Bamba played in Murphy with Chambers out of position and the winger beat Bettinelli with the aid of a deflection off Denis Odoi.
???? Ryan Sessegnon’s 1st #PL goal of the season brings Fulham level in South Wales Still Cardiff 2-2 Fulham (44 mins) #CARFUL pic.twitter.com/2KRGkhJabY
Cardiff were ahead within four minutes when more sloppy Fulham defending, this time Tim Ream at fault, allowed Reid to slip the ball through Bettinelli’s legs for his first goal for the club.
The Welsh side needed the security of a third goal to ease the tension, but it did not come and Fulham levelled in the 34th-minute.
Aleksandar Mitrovic flicked the ball through to Sessegnon and he showed rare composure to beat Etheridge and extend an extraordinary record, the teenager now having scored in all five of his appearances against Cardiff.
Calum Chambers removed from his own torture chamber. Former Swan Alfie Mawson replaces him.
Chambers had been switched inside to a three-man defence after half-an-hour to protect him from the rampaging Murphy, but he was replaced at half-time by the former Swansea defender Alfie Mawson.
Fulham were still guilty of some poor defending, however, allowing Harry Arter to make 30 yards unchallenged before rifling over Bettinelli’s crossbar.
The see-saw nature of the contest continued as Sessegnon forced Etheridge to punch the ball away to safety, but Cardiff hit the front again after 65 minutes.
Aron Gunnarsson, impressing in his first game of the season after injury, surged forward and found Bruno Ecuele Manga in support down the right.
Reid helped on Manga’s cross and Paterson beat Mawson to the loose ball to find the bottom corner of Bettinelli’s net.
Etheridge made a superb reaction stop from Mawson’s close-range header, but Cardiff’s first Premier League win since April 2014 was sewn up when Harris tapped home at the far post.
Press Association
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