Cardiff 0 Wolves 1: Bluebirds miss TWO injury-time penalties after Ruben Neves nets brilliant free-kick
Cardiff miss chance to extend the five-point gap between themselves and Fulham in promotion tussle
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WHAT a way to finish it.
Ruben Neves’ stunning free-kick moved Wolves nine points clear of second-placed Cardiff to virtually wrap up the title.
But Nuno Espirito Santo’s side had to rely on Cardiff missing TWO injury-time penalties to make sure of it.
First John Ruddy saved Gary Madine’s spot-kick, and then, remarkably, Junior Hoilett hit the bar with his.
The amazing scenes mean the Bluebirds will have to win at least three more to stand a chance of stopping Nuno Espirito Santo’s side from being crowned champions.
And that is not even considering Wanderers’ vastly superior goal difference.
Nuno’s coaching staff showed just how important the win was by running onto the pitch in jubilation on the final whistle.
It has been a hell of an effort from Neil Warnock’s side in the second half of the season to close a gap which was 14 points wide on January 2.
A win here for the Bluebirds could have taken it to just three with the Welsh outfit having a game in hand.
Then the pressure really would have been on.
But Neves’ moment of brilliance virtually ensured not only safe passage to the Premier League, but rightly as the division’s best team.
While Warnock will be looking over his shoulder with only six points to third-placed Fulham, and four away games to come from the Bluebirds' final six.
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Then again, Cardiff were not supposed to be in this position. No one expected them to be in the top six this term, let alone on the verge of Warnock’s record-breaking eighth promotion.
And a section of the home fans at this capacity crowd - said to be the largest for a league game in Wales since 1976 - acknowledged as much with a rendition of Bob Marley’s ‘Everything’s Gonna Be Alright’ late on.
Warnock’s feat this term saw him named Championship manager of the season for the EFL Awards on Sunday week.
That of course meant opposite number Nuno had been overlooked - a decision to which the Portuguese commented “I don’t work for individual prizes” after Tuesday’s 2-2 draw against Hull.
A minute’s applause was carried out in honour of the late, great Ray Wilkins before kick-off.
Warnock paid tribute to the former England captain in his programme notes and stood, head bowed, in respect to his departed friend.
Cardiff’s man-mountain centre-back Sol Bamba - a curious omission from the Championship Team of the Year - missed the first good chance inside four minutes, heading Junior Hoilett’s corner wide.
Keeper Neil Etheridge then showed why so many Bluebirds fans believe he is underrated with two smart stops to deny long-distance blasts from Neves and Diogo Jota.
Yet after that, the two teams cancelled each other out for the rest of the half.
These were the two meanest defences in the league and it was showing.
Hoilett was still finding neat pockets of space in front of the backline, as was Jota for the visitors, but neither managed to do much with it, so well-drilled defensively were both sides.
Wolves’ back three were punctured on one rare occasion on 35 minutes but the chance fell to Joe Bennett - he of Leroy Sane tackle infamy - and the left-back dragged poorly wide.
Moments later Ruddy, one of three Wolves players in the Team of the Year alongside Conor Coady and Neves, was alert to tip away Yanic Wildschut’s swerving free-kick.
Wolves almost broke the deadlock shortly after the break as Benik Afobe played in Leo Bonatini with a clever ball.
The Brazilian rounded the on-rushing Etheridge and tried an audacious pass into the net from the tightest of angles - but hit the post.
Warnock was then forced to bring off the injured Callum Paterson for Nathaniel Mendez-Laing, who began his career at Wolves and hit the winner against his former side in Cardiff’s 2-1 win at Molineux in August.
But it was not long until his team fell behind with Neves superbly finding the top corner from 25 yards. Etheridge got a hand to it but could only push it into the inside netting.
Cardiff battled to find a leveller and the crowd thought they almost had one when Aron Gunnarsson’s blast fizzed wide.
Wolves should have wrapped it up when sub Helder Costa raced clear but he poked the wrong side of the post.
A mad five minutes of injury time then ensued.
A first spot-kick was given for a foul by Coady on Anthony Pilkington but Madine saw his effort brilliantly tipped wide by Ruddy.
Then seconds later another penalty was given when Aron Gunnarsson was tripped on the far side of the box by Ivan Cavaleiro, but Hoilett could only hit the bar.
It was an unforgettable end to a game in an unforgettable season for Nuno’s champions-elect.