Cardiff City 5-0 Plymouth Argyle: Brilliant Bluebirds thump Wayne Rooney's 10-player side
Cardiff delivered their strongest performance of the season, crushing Plymouth 5-0 and adding to Wayne Rooney's woes.
Alex Robertson scored his first league goal since moving from Manchester City in the 16th minute, and just eight minutes later, Rubin Colwill extended Cardiff's advantage.
Rooney, who was sitting out a one-match ban from the sidelines, watched as Ibrahim Cissoko got sent off with a straight red card. Shortly after, in the 52nd minute, Anwar El Ghazi scored his first goal for Cardiff.
Callum Robinson scored in the 75th minute, followed by Chris Willock netting his first goal for the club just five minutes later. This helped Cardiff secure their second victory in three matches under interim manager Omer Riza, while leaving Plymouth still searching for their first away win of the season.
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Cardiff looked like they might fall behind right at the start when two former Swansea players linked up. Morgan Whittaker passed the ball to Michael Obafemi, who missed the target from a short distance. However, after that initial moment of concern, Cardiff took control of the game.
Colwill was a persistent threat for the home team, showcasing his skill in the attacking zone. He set up Robertson, who then launched a powerful shot from 20 yards that found the net, putting the Bluebirds ahead.
Ollie Tanner tested the Plymouth goalkeeper with a fierce shot, and shortly after, Colwill sent a shot high over the goal, demonstrating the newfound confidence that had been missing during Erol Bulut's time as manager.
Colwill extended the lead to 2-0 when Plymouth couldn't clear the ball after a tricky cross from Callum O'Dowda. This allowed Colwill to take his time and score from 12 yards.
The 3,000 supporters in the away section probably kept lamenting Obafemi's early missed opportunity as they saw their team squander more chances. Dimitrios Goutas, for example, headed Calum Chambers' cross over the goal.
Plymouth's challenge grew even more difficult before the break when Cissoko was shown a red card for how he responded to a clash with Perry Ng.
Lewis Gibson made a quick impact shortly after the break, while Plymouth missed an opportunity to get back into the game.
They quickly faced the consequences when Colwill found an opening on the right side and set up El Ghazi, who scored easily from close range.
Now that the contest had come to a close, Bali Mumba felt thankful when his deflected header from David Turnbull's attempt struck the crossbar.
Cardiff netted their fourth goal when Robinson connected with a pass from substitute Willock and calmly put it in the back of the net. During his celebration, he honored his former Sheffield United teammate, George Baldock.
Willock struck the ball fiercely past Grimshaw from outside the penalty area, marking the Bluebirds' first time scoring five goals in a league game since 2017, adding to Rooney's disappointment.
Interim manager Omer Riza of Cardiff:
Today, Aaron Ramsey was up on the upper floor keeping an eye on things and providing us with some insights, and everything came together nicely.
I told Aaron yesterday that I would appreciate it if he could head up there, watch the game, and share any important insights he might have.
Honestly, when he came down and brought up a few points, it mirrored some of our own thoughts, which is great because it shows we're all aligned.
"When you have seasoned players like Rallsy (Joe Ralls) and Aaron who aren't on the field, it's crucial to find alternative ways to utilize their skills. We accomplished that today."
"I'm really glad for both the players and the supporters. Everything clicked today; we took a 2-0 lead before the red card, and we were clearly in control."
"We had a variety of goal scorers, and the substitutes made a positive impact. Overall, I’m just really pleased."
It's hard to express exactly what I mean. I believe we began the game on the right foot, maintaining good control and we could have been ahead by 1-0, especially since Michael had an excellent opportunity.
On top of that, we became quite careless; we lost possession frequently, failed to win challenges, and neglected the fundamental aspects of our game.
"In this league, failing to do things correctly can lead to tough days like the one we're experiencing today."
Watching from the sidelines is tough; you really wish you could be on the field, supporting the team in every way possible.
"Today, we must acknowledge Cardiff for their impressive performance; they truly earned the victory and were the superior team."
