Cardiff secured a resounding 3-0 victory over Swansea in the South Wales derby, marking their most significant win in this fixture for nearly six decades. Callum Robinson delivered a stellar performance, scoring twice early in the second half to put Cardiff firmly in control. Dimitrios Goutas added a third with a thunderous header off the underside of the crossbar, sealing an emphatic triumph and ending Cardiff’s six-game winless streak at home.
The win provided much-needed relief for Cardiff, who started the day perilously close to the relegation zone. Despite the positive result, the game wasn’t without controversy. Cardiff manager Omer Riza was shown a red card during stoppage time following a touchline altercation with Swansea’s Gonçalo Franco. Tensions flared further after the final whistle, with players from both sides clashing on the pitch.
Cardiff’s players wore black armbands in memory of Riza’s father, whose passing the manager had announced days earlier. The home crowd showed their support for Riza, giving him a warm reception before kick-off. The atmosphere was charged, with hundreds of Cardiff fans staging a pre-match protest against the club’s ownership and management.
Swansea, sitting in a more comfortable mid-table position, entered the game hoping to reverse a run of three consecutive away defeats. Early opportunities fell to Joe Allen and Franco, but neither could capitalize. Cardiff began to assert themselves as the first half progressed, with Alex Robertson and Calum Chambers coming close to breaking the deadlock.
Robinson wasted no time in the second half, converting Ollie Tanner’s cross with a composed left-footed finish just two minutes after the restart. Four minutes later, he punished a misplaced pass from Josh Tymon to double Cardiff’s lead with another precise strike. Goutas then sealed the win, powering home a header from Robertson’s corner to give Cardiff their biggest league win over Swansea since 1965.
Elsewhere, Hull secured a vital 1-0 victory at Millwall, lifting their spirits after a disappointing FA Cup exit to League Two side Doncaster. The game’s only goal came in the 58th minute when Millwall captain Jake Cooper inadvertently turned Regan Slater’s cross into his own net. The result boosted Hull’s survival hopes and compounded a frustrating day for Millwall, who lost promising talent Romain Esse to Crystal Palace earlier in the day. The home side struggled to create chances and faced jeers from their fans at the final whistle.
QPR continued their strong run of form with a 1-0 win over Plymouth, extending their winning streak to three games. Substitute Rayan Kolli scored the decisive goal in the 65th minute, finishing superbly into the corner after Ilias Chair’s initial effort was saved. The goal came after a defensive lapse from Bali Mumba, whose miscontrol allowed Chair to create the chance. Plymouth’s struggles continued, with their winless league run now stretching to 13 matches, leaving them rooted to the bottom of the table.
These results highlighted contrasting fortunes across the Championship, with Cardiff and QPR enjoying crucial victories while Swansea, Millwall, and Plymouth faced mounting challenges.
