The value of Sheffield United’s victory was difficult to quantify. Chris Wilder’s side had unexpectedly lost their last three games, dealing a significant blow to their automatic promotion hopes. Gustavo Hamer’s first-half opener and Ben Brereton Díaz’s late goal lifted home spirits on a rainy evening at Bramall Lane.
Crucially, victory moved United back within five points of Burnley, who had won 2-1 at Watford earlier in the day, ahead of the Blades’ crucial trip to Turf Moor on Easter Monday.
Victory in east Lancashire would keep Wilder’s side in contention for a top-two finish, and they will travel across the Pennines knowing that nothing less than three points will suffice.
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“When you lose games you’re expected to win, getting over the line with that first win again is the hardest,” Wilder said after defeating struggling Cardiff. “It was important to get back on track and win our 27th game of the season.
“There were some good performances out there, but the result was more important than anything, and we got it. We have to set the team up properly on Monday, and it will be a great game. We’ll have to put on a show, and we’ll go into the game as underdogs, whereas Burnley will be heavy favourites.”
United did just enough to beat Cardiff, despite the fact that this was not their best performance. However, it was probably never going to happen after their recent wobble, which no one saw coming.
Wilder’s team has lost at Oxford, at home to Millwall, and again at Plymouth last weekend. The United manager, a fierce competitor, clashed with Argyle players and coaching staff following the 2-1 defeat at Home Park, which resulted in both clubs being charged with misconduct by the FA.
The recent performance of Wilder’s team had clearly dampened spirits among the Bramall Lane faithful, and the inclement weather did little to lift the mood. The atmosphere was flat, and the swagger that United had displayed for much of the season was missing once more. Passes were undercooked, overhit, or simply misplaced, as Cardiff had little trouble keeping their opponents at bay.
Cardiff threatened on the counterattack midway through the first half, but it failed, and United broke upfield. On-loan Crystal Palace winger Jesurun Rak-Sakyi demonstrated impressive skill to outfox Cardiff captain Callum O’Dowda on halfway. Rak-Sakyi drove at the heart of the visitors’ defence in the right channel before missing his shot from inside the 18-yard box.
Tyrese Campbell latched onto Hamer’s clever pass in the 33rd minute and fired a left-footed shot that deflected off a Cardiff defender. It fell kindly to the onrushing Hamer, who deftly touched the ball with the outside of his right boot, sending it past Ethan Horvath from close range.
Seven minutes before halftime, Hamer curled a delightful right-footed free-kick against the outside of Horvarth’s left-hand post, leaving the visiting goalkeeper beaten, and 11 minutes later, United left-back Harrison Burrows hit a fierce left-foot shot that Horvarth saved well.
Kieffer Moore’s deflected low cross from the left flank was clinically dispatched at the far post by fellow substitute Brereton Díaz, resulting in United’s second goal.
Omer Riza, Cardiff’s manager, was met with chants of “you’re getting sacked in the morning” from visiting fans as his team was winless in five games and one point from safety. Neil Warnock has even been linked with a dramatic return to Cardiff as Riza’s replacement ahead of Monday’s must-win home game against Oxford.
Riza, who was forced to apologise earlier this week for calling Cardiff fans “clueless,” said of the abuse: “I’m very sad about it. But I have to accept it and be strong for my players.”
As Cardiff fights desperately to stay in the division, Wilder and his team can prepare to face Burnley with renewed hope that they will automatically escape.
