The Bluebirds battled to keep a clean sheet and take home a hard-fought point against Port Vale on Thursday night.
Brian Barry-Murphy made three changes to the starting XI which faced Peterborough United on opening day. Nathan Trott came in for his City debut, with captain Calum Chambers returning after a one-match suspension and Chris Willock starting on the left flank.
Under the Thursday night lights at Vale Park, it didn't take long for Yousef Salech to become acquainted with his opposite number - the City striker received a kick to the face from Jesse Debrah after only two minutes. Thankfully, the forward was fine to continue.
Chances were few and far between inside the opening twenty minutes, with Debrah coming closest for Darren Moore's side. The defender made good contact with a header from a corner, but his effort was blocked by Ronan Kpakio.
Joel Bagan was forced to make a vital intervention after 25 minutes, getting just enough on the ball to prevent Ronan Curtis' square ball from reaching Lorent Tolaj. At the other end, Salech went close with a fierce drive from the edge of the area, which whistled just past the post.
Vale turned the screw in search of an opener as the half drew to a close. Trott was forced into a full-stretch save to tip Chambers' backward header away from his own goal, before Debrah sent another header towards the target, which this time flew inches wide.
The hosts came out at the start of the second half in search of the opener, and were unfortunate not to find it. Mitch Clark, free at the far side of the box, drilled the ball low into the bottom corner, only for the offside flag to thankfully be raised.
Soon afterwards, Joel Bagan was shown a yellow card after a foul on Tolaj. Brian Barry-Murphy made three changes on the hour mark, with Will Fish, Cian Ashford and David Turnbull introduced.
Moore's side continued to apply pressure, striking the crossbar from range, before the Bluebirds grew into the game. Fish went close with a header from Turnbull's clipped free-kick, whilst Ashford soon afterwards picked up the ball on the edge of the box after Turnbull's initial cross. Cian took aim, but fired over.
There was goalmouth action at both ends late on, with Ryan Wintle surrendering possession under pressure, only to make a brilliant recovery block at the edge of the area. In the final moments, City put numbers into the box against the Vale defence, though Callum Robinson and Chambers couldn't quite turn it home.
City will take a valuable point back home to South Wales and prepare for a Carabao Cup Round One clash with Swindon Town, taking place at Cardiff City Stadium on Tuesday, 12th August (7:45pm kick-off).
Full Time | Port Vale 0-0 Cardiff City
Cardiff City: Trott, Kpakio, Lawlor (Fish 61'), Chambers (C), Bagan, Wintle, J. Colwill (Turnbull 61'), R. Colwill, Tanner (Ashford 61'), Willock (Davies 90+2'), Salech (Robinson 77').
Substitutes: Turner, King.