Sheffield Wednesday 1 Cardiff 0: The Owls remain in the play-offs thanks to Fernando Forestieri’s late winner
Argentine struck in the 84th minute to keep their promotion hopes alive as they sunk Neil Warnock's side
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OWLS boss Carlos Carvalhal hailed goal hero Fernando Forestieri as the gift that keeps on giving.
The striker returned after five games out with a knee injury and climbed off the bench to claim his 12th goal of the season.
The Italian headed his 84th-minute winner after fellow sub Jordan Rhodes had seen his 20-yarder beaten out by Cardiff keeper Allan McGregor.
Carvalhal said: “Fernando is a fantastic player. He’s like a gift when you put him on the pitch.
“You never know what you are going to get until you open the box but you know it will be good.”
This was Carvalhal’s 100th game as Wednesday boss and his promotion-chasers came close to giving him a goal after just ten minutes when McGregor did well to turn Ross Wallace’s 20-yard drive against a post.
Wednesday keeper Keiren Westwood matched that save by throwing himself full length to his right to palm away Joe Ralls’ effort on 29 minutes.
Adam Reach wasted the only other chance that came Owls’ way before half-time when he pulled an angled drive across the face of goal after 34 minutes.
Carvalhal sent on attacking subs Rhodes, Forestieri and Atdhe Nuhiu in the second half.
But the visitors looked in no mood to give anything away until Forestieri struck.
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Cardiff chief Neil Warnock rapped: “The goal could and should have been avoided.
“You need a willingness to get hurt out there but one player didn’t put his head on the ball to get it away before Forestieri scored.
“But there wasn’t much else wrong with us. I thought we controlled the game.”