Cardiff City have maintained their commanding position at the top of League One with a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Stevenage at the Cardiff City Stadium. The win against a fellow promotion chaser, sees Brian Barry-Murphy’s side complete the season's double against the Lamex Stadium outfit, reinforcing their 3 point gap to second placed Lincoln, with a game in hand.
First Half Frustration
Cardiff came into the contest as slight favorites, and early proceedings saw the Bluebirds control possession and dictate the tempo of the match. Despite their dominance, the opening 45 minutes proved frustrating, with both sides unable to find the breakthrough. Cardiff created several opportunities but lacked the clinical finishing to convert their chances, with chance after chance squandered in a goalless first half. The half-time scoreline of 0-0 belied Cardiff’s superiority, but it remained a tactical battle that would be decided in the second period.
Stevenage, despite their away record, were restricted to limited opportunities and offered little threat against Cardiff’s organised backline. The visitors’ defensive structure held firm, but their inability to threaten at the other end suggested they would need to absorb more pressure after the interval.
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— Cardiff City FC (@CardiffCityFC) December 29, 2025
Here's how we line up for tonight's clash! 💙#CityAsOne pic.twitter.com/5216Jzascs
Patterson Stuns Cardiff
The second half proved far more eventful, with Stevenage striking first—a development that briefly threatened to derail Cardiff’s push for victory. Phoenix Patterson opened the scoring in the 57th minute, firing a sublime right-footed shot from the edge of the box, curling past Nathan Trott. The goal represented a sucker punch for the Bluebirds, who had dominated proceedings up until that point. However, instead of allowing momentum to swing Stevenage’s way, Cardiff responded swiftly and decisively.
Callum Robinson equalized in the 64th minute, finishing from the centre of the box with a right-footed effort. The Irish forward, often deployed as an impact substitute this season, provided the crucial response to restore parity. Robinson’s goal opened the floodgates, and Cardiff began pressing with renewed intensity, sensing that victory was within reach if they maintained their pressure on Stevenage’s backline.
Salech Seals Victory in Dramatic Fashion
The decisive moment came in the 82nd minute when Yousef Salech restored Cardiff’s advantage with a clinical finish. The Danish striker, League One’s leading goalscorer with 11 goals in the league this season, netted with a smart left-footed shot after some delicious build-up play from Cardiff, assisted by Chris Willock. Salech’s finish shows the exact positional and poaching qualities that have made him a cornerstone of Cardiff’s promotion push.
Following his goal, Cardiff pushed for a third but were unable to add further gloss to the scoreline, though they controlled the match comfortably in the final stages. Stevenage could offer little resistance to deny Cardiff their three points, with the visitors appearing resigned to defeat after Salech’s breakthrough.
Yousef Salech's winning goal. (Credit - Sky Sports)
What's Next?
Cardiff’s attention now turns to New Year’s Day when they travel to Adams Park to face Wycombe Wanderers in another crucial away fixture.
Wycombe currently occupy ninth place in the table, with 29 points from 23 matches. The Chairboys sit eight points behind the league leaders and possess a respectable home record at Adams Park, one which sit themselves just outside of the playoff spots respectively. With Michael Duff at the helm, Bluebirds fan will be very familiar with the style of football that Duff likes to employ. Additionally, Duff was in charge of Swansea in the 23/24 season, where Cardiff won 2-0 in the first encounter of that season.
A victory at Wycombe would strengthen Cardiff’s promotion credentials even further, whilst a slip-up could allow Lincoln to close the three-point gap at the summit. With Lincoln, Bradford and Stockport all hovering within striking distance, Cardiff cannot afford complacency.
