Yousef Salech earned City a point at Stockport County on September 13th, 2025.
City boss Brian Barry-Murphy gave Perry Ng his first league start of 2025/26, with Calum Chambers also coming into the defence. New full internationals Ronan Kpakio and Dylan Lawlor moved to the bench following their recent trip to Kazakhstan with Wales.
It was the hosts who edged the first half in terms of chances. Ben Andrésson was a threat throughout, and he struck against the post with 25 minutes on the clock.
County found an advantage eight minutes later. Andrésson was involved again, with referee Simon Mather deeming that Ng had pulled down the attacker in the box. Ollie Norwood dispatched the spot kick. The Bluebirds will have felt aggrieved with the penalty decision though, with two potential fouls on City players unpunished as the Hatters won the ball back.
County continued creating opportunities, but the Bluebirds battled hard to take it just 1-0 going into the break. It was Dave Challinor's side that had the first shots of the second half as well, with Jack Diamond denied by Nathan Trott before Ben Osborn struck wide a few minutes later.
The Bluebirds had the ball in the net through Yousef Salech 55 minutes in, but the offside flag was already raised against Chris Willock in the build-up.
Barry-Murphy looked to his bench just after the hour mark with David Turnbull and Isaak Davies joining the match in place of Joel Colwill and Cian Ashford. Further reinforcements came from Callum Robinson, Kpakio and Lawlor shortly after, with City aiming to turn the flow of the game.
It looked as if Stockport’s five-man defence would hold out, but City found a way to get something from the fixture in the final minute of added time. Willock’s cross from the left was deftly headed home by Salech in front of the Bluebirds travelling supporters to take a point back home to South Wales.
FINAL SCORE: STOCKPORT COUNTY 1-1 CARDIFF CITY
Stockport County: Addai, Pye, Olowu, Onyango (O'Keeffe 81'), Osborn, Norwood, Bailey (Camps 73'), Hills, Diamond (Connolly 90'), Andrésson (Moxon 73'), Wootton. Subs Not Used: Hinchliffe, Mothersille, Lowe.
Cardiff City: Trott, Ng (Kpakio 72'), Chambers (Lawlor 72'), Fish, Bagan, Wintle (Robinson 72'), J.Colwill (Turnbull 63'), R.Colwill, Ashford (Davies 63'), Willock, Salech. Subs Not Used: Turner, Osho.