MATCH REPORT 2023/24: Blackburn Rovers 5 – 2 Cardiff City

MATCH REPORT 2023/24: Blackburn Rovers 5 – 2 Cardiff City

Jon Dahl Tomasson’s side progressed into the Carabao Cup Fourth Round for the second successive season, after avoiding a scare on home turf to beat in-form Cardiff City, 5-2 and extend their fine form in this competition which saw Rovers become the competition’s top scorers.

After Saturday’s pulsating, but frustrating 4-3 defeat to Ipswich Town, Jon Dahl Tomasson made wholesale changes to his side to offer more opportunities to his young squad. Leopold Wahlstedt came in for his Ewood Park debut, whilst James Hill made his first start in East Lancashire, alongside Scott Wharton with Joe Rankin-Costello and Harry Pickering filling in as the full-backs either side. The midfield duo saw Sondre Tronstad partner Jake Garrett, whilst Dilan Markanday and Arnór Sigurðsson flanked Brighton and Hove Albion loanee, Andrew Moran, who sat in the hole behind Semir Telalović, who was also making his first start in Blue and White.

With both sides coming into this side with polar opposite form, as the Welsh side had won four of their last five league games, the two teams were looking to try and use this cup tie to gain some momentum ahead of their return to Championship action at the weekend.

Cardiff kicked off the opportunities inside seven minutes, as Rubin Colwill his luck from range, but won a corner via Harry Pickering’s block.

Rovers were soon up in arms, as referee Andrew Kitchen waved the home side’s appeals for a penalty away after Joe Rankin-Costello hit the deck inside the area in the 10th minute.

Straight after Cardiff regained possession after the appeals, they got the ball up the other end as Kion Etete tried to grab his third EFL Cup goal in as many games, but a fine save from Leopold Wahlstedt saw the Swede keep his clean-sheet intact.

Three minutes later, the deadlock was broken in the game, as the home side managed to net their 13th goal of the tournament, in just their third game, as Jake Garrett grabbed his own third of the competition, which put him atop of the goalscoring charts. A fantastic direct ball by James Hill beat the high Cardiff line, as the midfielder made a fine run to latch onto the ball with a fantastic touch before slotting the ball past on-loan Arsenal goalkeeper, Rúnar Alex Rúnarsson for 1-0.

With Rovers in the ascendency, Sigurðsson was looking for his second in as many games as he came inside and tried to curl one in past his Icelandic teammate, but his effort was blocked and cleared.

That failure to add breathing space between the two teams came back to haunt the hosts as former Preston North End attacker, Callum Robinson, again came back to haunt Rovers as he levelled the scoring from range, as the attacker brough the ball under his spell and picked out the bottom corner, past the unsighted Wahlstedt to restore parity at 1-1.

In the 21st minute, Rovers were again on the attack as they looked to regain the lead but efforts from Markanday and Moran were blocked as Cardiff managed to hold the fort under pressure, with Cardiff happy to settle for conceding corners.

The attacking pair soon combined again as Markanday dummied a pass for Moran to strike at goal, but the Irishman couldn’t keep his effort down to put Rovers back ahead.

With all of the momentum in the hosts’ favour, Pickering and Sigurðsson played a one-two before the full-back saw his effort zip past the post, much to the relief of Rúnarsson.

The Icelandic shot-stopper’s relief soon turned to frustration, as his national teammate in Blue and White managed to grab his second goals in as many games as he marked his Ewood debut in the perfect fashion to put Rovers back ahead at 2-1. Garrett picked out Moran, who burst down the right-wing before picking out Sigurðsson who was lurking around the six-yard box. The summer signing didn’t even need to think about his next move, as he swept the low cross home to hand Rovers the lead again, in the 36th minute.

Five minutes later, Colwill was looking to peg Rovers back again as he burst into the area, but the Bluebirds academy graduate’s effort didn’t trouble Wahlstedt.

Andrew Moran’s quality was beginning to shine through as he was pulling the strings in the middle of the park as he found Joe Rankin-Costello’s burst forwards, but the right-back’s effort was amusingly sliced wide of the mark.

As the 45th minute drew closer, the officiating team allocated a minimum of three minutes onto the end of the first period.

That saw enough time for both teams to get a chance in before the break, as the second added minute saw Moran deliver a pacey ball into the box which saw Sigurðsson clear the crossbar.

Cardiff, however, were more clinical in their added time opportunity as Kion Etete did manage to net a third EFL Cup goal off a second-phase following a Cardiff set-piece. Romain Sawyers kept the ball alive as he hooked it back into the box, before a fantastic first-touch by Etete saw him bring the ball down before holding off and spinning Rankin-Costello as he managed to curl the ball past a potentially unsighted Wahlstedt as the scores were levelled at 2-2, moments before the end of the first-half was signalled.

Jon Dahl Tomasson would have been annoyed that his side had managed to concede so late into the half, despite dominating for most of the period. His players were able to show their quality during the first-half as they managed to notch two goals of quality in order to put pressure on the Welsh visitors.

Erol Bulut’s young and rotated team would have been buoyed by their equaliser, but the Turk would have been quick to calm his young team down and remind them of their need to concentrate ahead of what could be a feisty and important second period for his players.

Prior to kick-off, Rovers made their first change of the evening as Harry Pickering was rested, as Callum Brittain came on to replace him at left-back. The second period was resumed as both sides aimed to get into the Fourth Round in order to give themselves the best possible chance of potentially clearing their route to Wembley.

With only three minutes gone in the second period, Markanday tried to put his side back ahead, but the City ‘keeper did well to deny the winger his third of the season.

Moments after the save, Cardiff’s attempt at playing out from the back resulted in embarrassment, as Markanday’s pressure saw him dispossess the City backline before the ball fell to Moran who produced a fine finish to put Rovers back ahead at 3-2.

In the 52nd minute, Joe Rankin-Costello saw his shot blocked, before Markanday picked up the scraps and bent the ball around the post.

Moments later, Rovers were again bursting through as the home side won the ball back after the Cardiff goal-kick, as Andrew Moran’s quick feet saw him earn the Blues a penalty which Arnór Sigurðsson stood up to take, but the Icelandic international was foiled by his national teammate.

That save didn’t dampen Rovers’ spirits as from the corner that the save produced, Rovers did manage to earn a two-goal cushion as Moran grabbed a brace from range via a fantastic finish from outside the area. A short corner was worked out to the Brighton midfielder who picked his spot from 25-yards before wheeling away in celebration of the fourth home goal of the evening.

Rovers’ second change of the night saw Sammie Szmodics introduced as Arnór Sigurðsson departed after a fantastic display, as he increased his match fitness, with more minutes in the tank.

After an hour, Cardiff gave some debuts to youth graduates as Josh Beecher and James Crole were thrown in to replace Kieron Evans and Kion Etete.

The 65th minute nearly saw Semir Telalović notch his first goal in English football as Rankin-Costello and Markanday combined with the latter finding the German attacker, but the interception by the retreating defender forced Rovers to settle for a corner, as the attacker was left with his head in his hands.

Substitute, James Crole aimed to make an instant debut impact, as just eight minutes into his debut he attempted to curl one in, but he lacked the required accuracy to trouble Wahlstedt.

Rovers’ continued pressure again paid off, as they netted their 17th goal of the cup competition as Moran managed to notch up a second assist to complement his brace, to combine with the fantastic off-ball running of Markanday. The winger peeling off his marker in-behind as Moran played a brilliantly inviting ball into the area, as the former Spurs winger brought the ball under his spell in a confined area before netting Rovers’ fifth, for 5-2,  via a kiss off the left-hand upright.

With Rovers in a very comfortable position, Jon Dahl Tomasson made a double change as Zak Gilsenan and Lewis Travis were introduced for Semir Telalović and Jake Garrett.

Despite Rovers remaining on top, with little to no resistance from Cardiff City, the home side made a final change in the 79th minute as Hayden Carter came on to replace Dilan Markanday, which saw Joe Rankin-Costello shuffle forwards into a more attacking role.

Wahlstedt was having a relatively quiet night, despite losing his clean-sheet, but he was forced into a fine save in the 81st minute when Crole broke through, but despite being flagged for offside, the unknowing Swede did well to pull off a fine save.

Moran was soon slipped through for a chance to grab his first senior career hattrick, but he somehow missed the easiest chance he was presented with all game, as he found the Blackburn End with his finish, or lack thereof.

With Rovers in cruise control, time passed by as Cardiff looked well and truly beaten, as despite a minimum of six added minutes onto the end of the game, Rovers managed to avoid any ridiculous late drama to safely book themselves a place in the Round Four draw that eventually saw them earn a glamour tie, away against Chelsea, at Stamford Bridge.

Jon Dahl Tomasson’s side showed their quality tonight and managed to atone for a few weeks where the goalscoring luck wasn’t falling in their favour despite a domination of chances. Whilst both teams turned up to Ewood Park with heavily rotated sides, Rovers still managed to potentially avoid a demoralising result in emphatic fashion to match last campaign’s cup progress with a mouthwatering tie still to come.

Despite now looking forward to a night out in the capital during Round Four, Rovers now need to concentrate and refocus their attention back on the league, as they play hosts to Leicester City at midday on Sunday 1st October, during Sky Sports’ Championship offering. After that game, the Blues travel to the Midlands to face Coventry City on Wednesday 4th October at 7:45pm, before another away trip sees them head to Loftus Road to face Queens Park Rangers on Saturday 7th October at 3pm.