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U's end Wales camp with draw against Cardiff

7 July 2023

Club News

U's end Wales camp with draw against Cardiff

7 July 2023

Cambridge United kicked off their pre-season schedule with a 1-1 draw against Cardiff City...

Mark Bonner's men enjoyed a thorough workout to end their week-long pre-season camp in South Wales, competing well against the Championship Bluebirds in the searing heat.

After a slow first half, the U's picked up their performance after the break but a Callum Robinson goal with just 20 minutes left to play had United up against it to try and salvage a result.

Not deterred by the set-back, the U's continued to push and got their goal in the final minute as Ahadme turned in Thomas' cross to make it 1-1.

Starting the game was an XI of Stevens, L. Bennett, R. Bennett, Beckett, Dunk, Digby, Hoddle, Brophy, Lankester, Barton and Okenabirhie.

With both sides just beginning their pre-season schedule, it took some time for the game to settle into any kind of meaningful pattern as the players battled against each other and against the conditions.

It was Cardiff who enjoyed the better of the openings during the first half but it took until the 27th minute for their first real chance of the game. A terrific block denied Joe Ralls the opportunity to score from close range and just six minutes later, the lively Sheyo Ojo drilled just wide of the post from the edge of the area.

In truth, there wasn't a huge amount of action on display in the first half and the two sides left the pitch at half-time with no goals scored and with neither side able to really asert themselves.

It was all change for the U's in the second half as Mannion, Scales, Okedina, Morrison, Andrew, Thomas, Simper, Janneh, McConnell, Yearn and Ahadme took to the field for the remainder of the contest.

United started the half very much in the ascendency as they took the game to the home side and Thomas came a fine Allsop save away from opening the scoring, with an edge-of-the-box strike that the Cardiff stopped turned around the post.

The ball was in the back of the Bluebirds net not long after, as Thomas met a brilliant Andrew corner to flick the ball in, but it was promptly disallowed by the referee for a foul amongst the scrum of players in the six-yard-box.

Despite the slow start to the half, Cardiff showed their quality on 53 minutes as they turned defense into attack with one fine pass splitting the U's defence to find Evans, who took the ball under before getting off a blocked shot on goal.

That quality showed again in the 67th minute as the home side took the lead - Robinson finding the net from 10 yards out after Tanner found the striker with a clever cut-back from the by-line.

United rallied and drew level on 90 minutes with a brilliant improvised finish from Ahadme, who turned home Thomas' deep cross with the outside of his foot. It was just rewards for a fine display and the perfect end to the working week.

Next up for the U's is a behind-closed-doors friendly against Spurs U21s on Tuesday before a trip to St Albans on Saturday 15 July in the first pre-season game that fans can attend.


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