West Bromwich Albion 0 - 0 Cardiff City. Match Report

Last updated : 01 November 2024 By Michael Morris

West Bromwich Albion’s winless run stretched to six games as they were held to a goalless draw at home by Cardiff City.

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The hosts missed several chances in an open first half, while Cardiff’s former Baggies forward Callum Robinson headed against the crossbar.

Albion kept applying pressure after the break, with Grady Diangana’s curling left-footed shot brilliantly saved by Cardiff goalkeeper Jak Alnwick, who also saved Baggies top scorer Josh Maja's header.

The Baggies drop one place to fifth in the Championship table, while Cardiff move down one to 20th.

For Carlos Corberan, this was a frustrating way to celebrate his two-year anniversary as Albion boss, a considerable milestone considering that, since 2000, only Gary Megson and Tony Mowbray have managed to go into a third year in charge at The Hawthorns.

As for Cardiff interim manager Omer Riza, this creditable result took his points tally to 11 from his six games at the helm to boost his chances of getting the job permanently.

Riza is now unbeaten in five matches and, although Corberan’s Baggies have closed the gap on the automatic promotion spots to three points, they will be concerned with a fourth successive draw and a fourth game in five in which they have failed to score.

An entertaining start to the game featured chances for both teams, with home captain Darnell Furlong heading wide from six yards before a header by Cardiff’s Robinson clipped the bar.

Furlong had another two efforts – one wide, the other saved by Alnwick – and the Cardiff skipper saved well from John Swift, but somehow the game remained goalless at the break.

Albion stepped up the pressure in the second half, but Robinson missed another chance to score against his old side when he failed to connect with Ollie Tanner’s cross before firing wide.

Alnwick then made the save of the game on 68 minutes when he kept out Diangana’s strike, which looked destined for the far corner of the net.

The Cardiff keeper was kept busy but, other than that stop from Diangana, Alnwick was not often overly stretched.

Maja headed a late chance straight at Alnwick and the home side had several corners as they searched for a late winner, but their efforts were in vain.

While West Brom fired a frustrating fourth blank in five games, their opponents could reflect with some pride on a fourth clean sheet from six under Riza.

West Bromwich Albion: Palmer, Furlong ©, Ajayi (Holgate 79’), McNair (Styles 4’), Heggem, Racic, Mowatt, Diangana (Grant 79’), Swift, Johnston (Fellows 71’), Maja. Subs not used: Wildsmith, Molumby, Diakite, Wallace, Cole. 

Cardiff City: Alnwick ©, Ng, Chambers, Goutas, O’Dowda, Robertson, Turnbull (Siopis 62’), R Colwill (Willock 78’), Tanner (Bagan 78), El Ghazi (Méïté 62’), Robinson (Kanga 68’). Subs not used: Horvath, Fish, Daland, Rinomhota.