Guardian Min-by-Min
Cardiff City v QPR - as it happened
Adel Taarabt twice equalised in an entertaining top-of-the-table encounter to move to the brink of the Premier League
* James Dart
* guardian.co.uk, Saturday 23 April 2011 11.46 BST
Forget Man Utd v Everton, Chelsea v West Ham, Valencia v Real Madrid, Brighton v Southampton and Banbury v Truro City ... this, readers, is the biggest game of the day. Third hosts first in what, from QPR's perspective, is a winner-takes-promotion-to-the-Premier-League-promised-land-pending-an-FA-hearing. For Cardiff, three points would restore them to the Championship's second automatic promotion spot. Game on, my friends.
Without wanting to upset any readers of an anti-English disposition, can I wish everyone a Happy St George's Day. Oh. Sorry.
Actually, is it really St George's Day today? I only ask because I'm sure the church moves its celebration to the first Monday after Easter week when the two coincide? Anyone? Anyway, it's another unseasonably toasty day in south Wales, which means the bare-chest-to-fans-ratio may well be off the scale.
Despite what you may have previously read today's fixture isn't actually Cardiff v Adel Taarabt. The unsung element of this Rangers team is unquestionably its defence: just 27 conceded in 42 games (including four at Sc**thorpe, for goodness' sake). Stifle Cardiff today and QPR could be a top-flight team again for the first time since 1996. But 15 years? Cardiff have been waiting for a top-flight return since 1962. They're on a four-game win streak and are six unbeaten, helping them keep neck-and-neck with fellow promotion-seekers Norwich (currently in second) and bitter rivals Swansea.
Ah, some teams:
Cardiff: Bywater, Quinn, McNaughton, Keinan, Samuel, Burke, Whittingham, McPhail, Olofinjana, Bellamy, Bothroyd. Subs: Heaton, Rae, Hudson, Chopra, Blake, Emmanuel-Thomas, Matthews.
QPR: Kenny, Orr, Hill, Gorkss, Connolly, Smith, Derry, Taarabt, Faurlín, Routledge, Helguson. Subs: Cerny, Hall, Buzsaky, Agyemang, Hulse, Ephraim, Miller.
Referee: Lee Mason (Lancashire)
Hereford v Shrews the other early game. Could get pwoper nawty in the stands today, sun, beer and local rivalry dont mix well!
El A49derbyisico or whatever name it goes by. Anyway, here's an interesting Championship fact: as things stand, only Coventry are mathematically guaranteed to be in the division next season.
Prediction time 2-1 to Cardiff (Whittingham 43, Faurlín og 90; Faurlín 89), prompting scenes akin to the ones that followed Northampton v Rotherham last night ...
Here come the teams
QPR in their Yeovil-tribute green-and-white-hooped shirts.
1 min Away we go, Lee Mason whistling the match under way on a roasting afternoon. Perfect for modern-day footballers, the unfair among you may say ...
2 min With barely 60 seconds on the clock, Taarabt has an early sight of goal, firing a 20-yard effort tamely over the bar.
4 min Great chance goes begging from Peter Whittingham. Released through the inside-left channel into the QPR penalty area, the Cardiff midfielder prods tamely with his left foot and Paddy Kenny is able to throw his cap on it - not literally, though he could probably do with it in the sun this afternoon - and the danger passes.
6 min: GOAL! Bothroyd (Cardiff 1-0 QPR) This is something flipping special. Bothroyd cuts inside from the right touchline on to his favoured left foot and unleashes an unstoppable 20-yard drive that beats Kenny and smashes into the net off the angle of post and bar, that most satisfying of strikes. You'll want to see the highlights later, I guarantee you.
9 min "I recognise a few names in the QPR squad, but what strikes me more is their ages," begins Patrick Groden. "If this group stayed intact, the 12 players already at or over 30 would be joined by three more next year. That's half of their squad. Arsenal are very young it's true, but they would have, at most, three players that age next year and likely just two, Arshavin and Squillaci. How is that going to work for QPR? A few injuries and the midweek games aren't going to be a pretty sight with a squad that old." A bit of money wouldn't harm, and I'm sure I've read about some cash in the vicinity of Loftus Road.
10 min: GOAL! Taarabt (Cardiff 1-1 QPR) Reason No2 to stay up with Manish Bhasin until the wee small hours: this is another special goal, though not quite as good as Bothroyd's. Not that QPR will mind. After a corner is half-cleared back towards its taker, Taraabt, the Moroccan cuts inside on to his right and floats a shot up and over Stephen Bywater and into the top corner. There was just the merest hint of cross about it, but given that he's the Championship player of the season, Taarabt will get the benefit of the doubt here.
11 min After treatment for Bywater, who had injury added to insult when being caught by his own player when trying to keep out Taarabt's equaliser, play immediately speeds upfield, Bothyord laying off to Craig Bellamy, who makes a bee-line for the QPR area. He fires in a left-footed shot from just inside the 18-yard box that Kenny does well to beat behind for a corner, but it was one you would have expected him to save. The corner then comes to nowt.
14 min And a brief calm in the action. "Neutrality conundrum," writes Lou Roper. "It would be nice to see QPR back in the top flight, but could they please leave behind their charmless manager? On the other hand, especially after all of the grief he's had, it would be nice for Dave Jones to achieve promotion, but could he please leave the charmless Cardiff fans behind?"
17 min Free-kick on the left for Cardiff. The cross results in wild demands for a penalty from the home fans as Dekel Keinan goes down in the area. Nothing doing. The Bluebirds then take a quick throw, enabling Chris Burke to maraud into the QPR penalty box, but he screws a weak left-footed shot well wide of Kenny's goal.
20 min That's seven attempts on goal and counting inside the first 20 minutes. Actually, make it eight, as Wayne Routledge crosses deep from the right touchline and Faurlín rises above his marker to head downwards and wide.
23 min Patrick Groden is back: "Adel Taarabt and a bit of money is a plan?" It's probably better than Charlie Adam and no money. "Harry Redknapp doesn't get enough mention for his role in Taarabt's career," adds Patrick. Tempers rising a little on the field to match the mercury, as both teams bemoan a lack of free-kick as first Taarabt and then Burke feel they're fouled.
26 min Chance for Tommy Smith as Routledge strikes a bouncing cross into the Cardiff box. It's flicked on and Smith, under pressure, is only able to head weakly at Bywater.
28 min QPR will probably be the happier side right now, Cardiff having spurned the two best chances of the match beyond the goals. But we're in a lull at present, understandable given the heat and frenetic opening quarter.
31 min Scrappy now, admittedly. And a yellow card for Whittingham, who gets completely confused by a square ball bound for the right wing, bringing it down with his right hand.
32 min Taarabt then produces a free-kick as shambolic as his goal was great. But then ...
34 min: GOAL! Bellamy (Cardiff 2-1 QPR) Bothroyd is given too much room on the right and, again, is allowed to cut on to his left foot. His driven cross appears to strike defender Matthew Connolly on the hand, but before the home supporters can scream blue murder for a penalty, Bellamy is on hand to pick up the loose ball, swivel on to his right and smash the bouncing ball past Kenny into the roof of the net from 11 yards.
36 min "Re: 28th minute, I think you'll find we Norwich fans will be happiest just now," writes Phil Withall with an email that was probably sent just before Bellamy's goal. "If you happen to be a Queensland-based one then the rugby result, added to the 5-1 win over Ipswich, means that at the moment everything is simply peachy. Oh and I'm drinking vodka mules and being the Easter bunny ..." [MBM writer lets out audible sigh.]
38 min That so easily could have been 3-1 Cardiff. After Cardiff win a corner after a swift counter, Burke's cross meets the forehead of Seyi Olofinjana, who bullets a header miles over the bar.
39 min This is even worse from Olofinjana. Desperate to make up for that recent miss, he finds himself on the edge of the QPR box with a shot lined up invitingly, albeit with a defender in his way. To his left, and in acres of space, stands Whittingham, waiting for the square ball. Olofinjana takes the former option, weakly firing haphazardly a good six yards wide.
41 min Taarabt goes down on the touchline, pleading for a free-kick. It's not forthcoming and he begins mouthing off to Bellamy, who gets himself involved, much to the entertainment of all and sundry. Once that subsides, Shaun Derry finds room around 25 yards from goal in a central position. Never once looking confident, Derry's shot is weak, but it deflects off Taarabt and goalwards. Bywater gets a thick hand to it, but the ball spins slowly and dangerously towards the dead-ball line. Just as Taarabt looks like he'll poke the rebound home, it just runs behind. Cardiff counter moments later and Burke breaks into the box, screwing what was neither a cross nor a shot well wide.
44 min Bellamy, who is clearly in the mood today, crosses deep towards Olofinjana. He jumps early and Heidur Helguson blocks him off, prompting howls from the crowd, but the lack of a whistle is the right decision.
45 min Three minutes of added time at the end of a half that has been breathless at times.
Half-time After a Cardiff corner results in Keinan's shot tamely running wide, Mason's whistle brings a delicious half of football to a close. Make sure you're back in 15: there are more goals in this yet.
And the winner of today's product I will never buy/use due to association with its advert is ... oh, we're on BBC1. Just one trailer to choose from. It'll have to be Doctor Who then. No loss.
Half-time emails Oh. Anyone?
46 mins Back under way with no changes in personnel.
47 mins Forty-five yards out from goal and with few options around him, Taarabt decides to chance his arm at goal. For the briefest moment it looks like Bywater may be in for a surprise, before it sails harmlessly over. A safe bet that any other player attempting that would be on the receiving end of a Neil Warnock hairdryer. Speaking of which ...
50 mins You're not missing much in Man Utd v Everton: it's still goalless and dull. Back in Cardiff, there a decent chance for Whittingham after Bellamy laid off from the left, but he leans back and balloons abysmally over the bar.
51 mins Bellamy finds more space out on the left flank, before his cross deflects off Clint Hill and behind for a corner ...
52 mins ... which almost results in a third Cardiff goal. After it's half-cleared, Olofinjana volleys towards goal and it deflects - could have gone anyhere - behind for another corner. This time, QPR comfortably deal with it.
55 mins A long clearance from Kenny falls to Routledge, who in turn plays in Derry. The midfielder, who was struggling to avoid the drop with Crystal Palace on the last day of last season, surges towards the penalty area, before being crowded out - legally - and Cardiff clearing.
58 mins A cheap foul on Helguson gives QPR a free-kick on the left, as the visitors begin to crank up the pressure. The set piece from Taarabt is over-hit and flies out for a goal-kick.
61 mins "I suppose the chances of QPR letting the season slip are remote, but they certainly seem to be giving it a fair go," reckons Phil Withall. "Oh and I really wish you'd sort out the auto-refresh. It's not worked since the cricket World Cup. Not good. My nerves can't take it." Apologies, Phil. Our crack technical team will hopefully be implementing a fix very soon. Meanwhile, a deep cross from Routledge towards Helguson finds the forward clambering all over Paul Quinn, who wins the hosts a free-kick.
64 mins Another free-kick for Cardiff, but this time on the very edge of the QPR area, Burke being blocked by Kaspars Gorkss. Whittingham lines up a shot, but drills it into the foot of the wall.
66 mins That's two-thirds of the game done and Cardiff still look quite comfortable. Until Routledge hot-foots it across field before running straight into Quinn, who takes the booking. Taarabt's cross is easily collected by Bywater.
68 mins All of a sudden, Cardiff find themselves three-on-three, even four-on-three, following Derry's loss of possession. They couldn't have worked it much worse, mind, and QPR are easily able to recover their ground.
69 mins Smith is replaced by Patrick Agyemang.
71 min: GOAL! Taarabt (Cardiff 2-2 QPR) With no support up front, Taarabt receives a long ball with his back to goal and Kevin McNaughton on his back. In a flash, he's beaten the Cardiff man, broken into the box and fired a bumbled shot low past Bywater's left hand and just inside the post. His 18th goal of the season and we're level once again.
73 mins That's two cracking goals and two from absolutely nothing. Either way, we're all square and set for an intriguing final 20 minutes. "My local Tesco is doing a bizarre offer of buy one Kit Kat Easter egg, get two free," writes Ruairi in Dublin. "So I did it. One for me and one for the missus, but nobody else seems to be around today. Do you want the third? It comes with a Kit Kat mug to boot." Heck yes. Just think if you'd bought two. Or 1,667. Then you could feed the 5,000 at a fraction of the cost.
76 mins Off goes Burke for JET: Jay-Emmanuel Thomas, on loan from Arsenal.
78 mins Kenny brilliantly denies Bellamy after an error from Gorkss released the forward goalwards. With just the keeper to beat, Bellamy is unable to beat the on-rushing Kenny, who was swiftly off his line to block superbly. He takes an unintentional whack from Bellamy in the follow-through, but looks well enough to continue.
80 mins Another change for QPR, Connolly being replaced by Fitz Hall in their back-line. "If, as you note in your preamble, QPR's dealings are flagged by the FA panel and they are sent to the circle of hell that is the play-offs, then there would be a good chance that their season will go pear-shaped," posts Lou Roper. "Norwich City would be the deserving beneficiaries?" I doubt Delia is counting those chickens just yet.
82 mins Taarabt beats Quinn on a dangerous, loping run down the left flank, before McNaughton stops the threat. Routledge then beats his marker with quick feet to reach the right touchline, but his low cross is blocked. QPR looking the more dangerous right now.
84 mins Man Utd scoring a late goal on Easter Saturday to potentially wrap up the title. Sounds familiar. Here, Cardiff press forward, but QPR's backline remains resolute.
86 mins As Cardiff commit men to attack, more space opens up for the visitors. This time, Routledge breaks away, creating room for a shot which is sliced well wide with team-mates well positioned. Moments later, Bellamy takes his leave after a good display, Michael Chopra coming on in his stead.
88 mins Surely ... but no! An excellent crossfield ball to Taarabt is adroitly collected on his chest, before a deflected cross-shot runs across the six-yard box, where Helguson looks certain to lash his team into the Premier League. But he's half a yard off the pace and merely toe-pokes a weak effort into the side-netting. Close.
90 mins Two minutes of added time.
FT: Cardiff 2-2 QPR An unventfully brief period of injury-time brings the game to a conclusion. It was entertaining, with some brilliant goals and the odd bit of shoddy defending. For QPR, they can now book a Premier League place by beating Hull on Easter Monday. For Cardiff, a point puts Norwich City back in control of their automatic promotion destiny. You can now join Rob Smyth for the rest of the afternoon's action on his clockwatch. Have a great Easter Saturday. Cheers, James.
www.guardian.co.uk/football/2011/apr/23/cardiff-qpr-live
