CARDIFF CITY 2, MANCHESTER UNITED 2
Manchester United missed the chance to go fourth in the Barclays Premier League when Cardiff City equalised for the second time in the match late on in an involving encounter at the Cardiff City Stadium.
Kim Bo-Kyung levelled the scores in injury time with a firm and low header from Peter Whittingham’s cross sparking celebrations but there was still time for United to try and snatch the winner although chances for Wayne Rooney and Chris Smalling were wasted.
Rooney arguably shouldn’t have been on the pitch after he seemed to deliberately aim a kick at Jordon Mutch moments after he had tested United ‘keeper David De Gea in the eighth minute. Rooney was punished with only a booking for his part in what seemed like a certain red card.
Without injured striker Robin Van Persie in the match day squad, replaced by Mexican supersub Javier Hernandez, the pressure was on Rooney to produce the goods for United on the road and he duly delivered in the 15th minute when Hernandez found Rooney in space. The England striker turned and made no mistake although his goalbound effort went in off Cardiff’s defensive midfielder Gary Medel.
Former United striker Fraizer Campbell levelled the scores after 33 minutes after Mutch provided the ammunition for Campbell at the edge of the area.
United went in ahead at half time, however, as Rooney turned provider from a corner which Patrice Evra met with a firm header although his goalbound effort took a final nick off defender Andrew Taylor.
City were unpeturbed by United’s lead after the break and hit the woodwork soon after the restart when Campbell pounced on Tom Cleverley’s sloppy back pass and saw his lob hit the cross bar.
Rooney was still United’s best player on the pitch, and his return pass to substitute Danny Welbeck should have seen United seal three points later in the second half but it was another substitute, this time by Cardiff, that would change the game and Kim rewarded Cardiff City manager Malky Mackay’s adventure by earning the draw at the death.