Ipswich Town had victory in the palm of their hands until a dramatic late Cardiff City turnaround which saw two stoppage-time goals, including a 100th-minute decider, earn the Welsh side a shock 2-1 win.
Promotion-chasing Ipswich are the Championship’s form side, registering six wins on the bounce, but they were stunned by Erol Bulut’s defiant Bluebirds, who came from behind in glorious fashion to steal the unlikeliest of victories.
In a 90 minutes that produced very few clear-cut chances, it was Kieffer Moore who displayed the cutting edge needed to make a breakthrough against his former club, fizzing an arrowed strike across Ethan Horvath in the 79th minute.
Callum O’Dowda celebrates his winner for Cardiff
The game looked to be meandering towards a predictable conclusion, until a stunning stoppage-time spell where the hosts came roaring back to score twice in five incredible minutes.
Ryan Wintle netted the leveller in the 95th-minute before Callum O’Dowda, in the 10th minute of an allotted eight-minute injury-time period, latched onto Perry Ng’s hooked cross to slam the ball home.
Ryan Wintle celebrates scoring Cardiff’s equaliser
The result means Ipswich fail to reclaim second spot in the Championship, surrendered to Leeds after their victory over Sheffield Wednesday on Friday night, while resurgent Cardiff maintain their late bid for a play-off spot.
The goals…
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Kieffer Moore puts Ipswich 1-0 up against his former side Cardiff City
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Ryan Wintle levels the score for Cardiff late into stoppage time.
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O’Dowda scores his stoppage-time winner for Cardiff
How stoppage-time drama floored Ipswich
Cardiff were high on confidence after three successive wins and their lively start reflected that.
David Turnbull’s rasping effort from distance was saved with some discomfort by Vaclav Hladky, and the Ipswich goalkeeper was again needed from the resulting corner to keep the Bluebirds at bay.
Ipswich Town’s Wes Burns clears the ball under pressure from Josh Wilson-Esbrand
The ball fell to Josh Bowler at the far post and Hladaky kept out his volley with an outstretched foot.
Ng seemed certain to convert the rebound with the goal gaping, but his scuffed shot allowed Moore to clear off the line.
Ipswich did not look like a side that had scored in 12 consecutive games, struggling to play through midfield and supply Moore with tempting crosses, until the 79th minute, when the Wales international took matters into his own hands.
Moore gestures towards the Ipswich fans after scoring against former club Cardiff
Substitute Marcus Harness found Moore wide left, with Nat Phillips standing off him, and the forward took his opportunity to bury a sweet strike into the far corner.
But there was a lethal sting in the tail as a late equaliser from Wintle and an even later strike from O’Dowda sent the Cardiff City Stadium into overdrive, and consequently broke Ipswich hearts.
Their six-game winning run has been abruptly halted, while Bulut’s Bluebirds march proudly on to their fourth straight triumph and are now five points shy of the play-off places.
The managers
Cardiff boss Erol Bulut:
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Cardiff manager Erol Bulut says his players made him proud and they gave everything on the pitch in their 2-1 win against Ipswich.
Ipswich boss Kieran McKenna:
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Kieran McKenna says Ipswich will be stronger from their late defeat to Cardiff and vows to learn from it
