by Matt Slater
Date: 16/04/2021
Venue: Madejski Stadium
Competition: The Sky Bet Championship
READING keep their promotion hopes hanging by a thread after grabbing a 94th minute equaliser in a very Reading-dominated affair.
The Royals dominated possession and consistently fired wide and over of Alex Smithies’ net.
And it looked like Cardiff were going back to the Welsh capital with all three points thanks to Kieffer Moore’s 17th goal of the season from the spot.
But Yakou Meite’s 94th minute equaliser means that the spoils were shared and they sit just four points behind promotion rivals Barnsley.
It did not take the Bluebirds long to pressurise the Royal’s backline. Will Vaulks found himself stood over a freekick in the first minute of the game, but it was powered into the wall.
Harry Wilson followed up shortly after with his shot flying towards goal. An offside Aiden Flint tried to nudge it in, but it sailed wide of the post.
Cardiff continued their search for the opening goal with their best chance of the half. Curtis Nelson leapt the highest on the halfway line and found Harry Wilson. The Liverpool-loanee took the ball in his stride and looked to place it into the bottom corner, but it was met by a diving Rafael.
Reading were starting to find their feet in the game after a string of blocked shots from Aiden Flint. Michael Olise, Ovie Ejaria and Yakou Meite all tried at goal, but were denied by the Cardiff defender.
The away side started the second half the way they finished the first – by dominating possession. Ovie Ejaria tried to open the scoring with his curling effort, but it was easily caught.
Reading followed up with a freekick straight from the training ground. Ovie Ejaria’s pass broke the line and reached Lucas Joao, whose shot was saved at the near post. The league’s fourth top goal scorer was injured in the process and provided the Royals fans with worries of his fitness, with the potential playoffs just a stone’s throw away.
Time was starting to run out for Reading, but spaces were starting to open. Yakou Meite was able to get the better of Perry Ng and had the opportunity to fire at goal – but it flew wide.
The Ivorian was determined to grab a goal for his side and fired at goal once again, but it sailed into the top row of the Madejski Stadium.
It was then Cardiff’s turn to pressurise the opposition back line. Kieffer Moore was sent through on a counterattack, but his extremely weak shot was comfortably saved.
Harry Wilson then ran onto the end of a through ball, but his chip attempt was cleared by a defender with ease.
But despite constant Reading dominance and half chances – Cardiff were awarded a late penalty. Omar Richards had his eyes firmly on the ball, and while trying to clear it, he missed the ball and caught Kieffer Moore. The Welsh target man took the resulting spot kick and fired the ball into the top corner.
And when it looked all but over, Reading grabbed a last-minute equaliser to keep their hopes alive. Yakou Meite got onto the end of a cross and headed the ball towards the goal. A scrambling Aiden Flint tried to block the ball on the six-yard box, but put it into his own net instead.
Star Man: Yakou Meite
Reading: Rafael; Yiadom (Baldock 90+1’), Holmes, Moore, Richards (Aluko 90+1’); Rinomhota (Swift 77’), Laurent; Meite, Olise (Tetek 90+1’), Ejaria; Joao (Puscas 58’).
Cardiff City: Smithies; Nelson, Flint, Brown; Sang, Vaulks, Pack (Murphy 70’), Ng; Ralls; Wilson (Ojo 79’), Moore.
Incident Log: Goals: Kieffer Moore 87’, Yakou Meite 90+4. Yellow Cards: Curtis Nelson 46’, Pack 50’, Brown 78’.
