The Bluebirds began their competitive season with a 3-2 victory against Swindon Town at Cardiff City Stadium. A double from Yousef Salech and the winner through debutant Jack Moylan saw the Bluebirds into Round Two of the Carabao Cup.
After several blocked efforts for both sides early on, the away side hit the front after some neat passing found Louis Millard, who fired past Nathan Trott via a deflection off of Gabriel Osho. The strike into the bottom right corner gave the Robins the lead inside 10 minutes.
Yousef Salech had a chance after the ball was cushioned down by Cian Ashford, but his effort was met by Connor Ripley in the Swindon Town goal.
Soon afterwards, Ollie Tanner produced some excellent work to play the ball across to David Turnbull, who couldn’t quite find the connection he wanted. Cian Ashford’s follow up was put wide.
Tanner did brilliantly again down the right hand side minutes later. His ball found Isaak Davies at the back post, whose cross was blocked by the hand of Swindon Town defender Mitch Clark, earning City a spotkick.
Salech stepped up to take it, and calmly converted into the bottom right corner to put the Bluebirds back on level terms.
Just before the break, Ashford broke down the left hand side and placed a sweet ball into the box, at a perfect height for the Bluebirds' new occupant of the number nine to double his tally for the afternoon with a sublime volley.
Cian’s hard work in the first half almost paid off after he was played in behind by Turnbull, but his shot crashed against the crossbar. That chance wrapped up the first half, with City leading by two goals to one.
It was a slow start to the second half, but the first major chance was converted by the Robins. Joseph Hungno whipped a ball in and it reached the back post where Paul Glatzel had space to force it past Trott.
With just under 20 minutes to play, Brian Barry-Murphy introduced Jack Moylan for his City debut. It wasn’t long before he impressed the home support; Salech held the ball up inside the Robins box before laying it back to the debutant, who fired into the top right corner to restore the Bluebirds' lead.
The visitors almost hit straight back through Ollie Palmer, but his effort from close range rebounded off the post, with Trott collecting. Palmer soon had another effort which was deflected over the bar.
Just as the clock hit 90’, James Debayo earned himself a second yellow card after a rash challenge on Ashford. He had been previously booked for bringing Joel Colwill down earlier in the match.
Despite some late pressure from the Robins, City saw the game out to get their season up and running, and will find out who they face in Round Two on Monday evening.
FINAL SCORE: CARDIFF CITY 3-2 SWINDON TOWN
Cardiff City: Trott, Bagan, Osho, Ng, Kpakio, Turnbull (J.Colwill 57’), Robertson, Ashford, Davies (Willock 57’), Tanner (Moylan 71’), Salech.
Subs not used: Tyrer, King, Tankiewicz, Anyadike, Moreno, Robinson.
Swindon Town: Ripley, Clark (Griffiths-Brown 63’), Negru, Nichols (Debayo 57’), Glatzel, Inwood (Tafazolli 46'), Middlemas, Drinan, Virtue (Palmer 63’), Kirkman, Millard (Hungbo 57’).
Subs not used: Ward.