Huddersfield Town 0, Cardiff City 0
Yaya Sanogo missed a penalty as Huddersfield Town gifted Cardiff City a point on Mick McCarthy’s 1000th game as a manager
The Terriers were prone to lapses in concentration but a battling performance kept the visitors on the back foot until the 74th minute when Yaya Sanogo sent a spot kick wide of the left upright.
Juninho Bacuna, Pipa, and Fraizer Camphell also passed up golden chances to break the deadlock to leave the Terriers on 38 points in 18th but they will rue not taking one of their chances against a Cardiff side who did not threaten until the last 5 minutes.
Town boss Carlos Corberan made three changes to the side that disappointingly drew at home to Birmingham City in midweek.
Richard Keogh, Aaron Rowe, and Yaya Sanogo started for the Terriers, replacing Richard Stearman, Duane Holmes, and Isaac Mbenza who stepped down to the bench.
Embed from Getty ImagesSanogo was making his full debut for Town who were looking to keep a cushion between them and the relegation zone.
The Bluebirds had won 7 out of their last 8 games since the start of February after a spell of just two draws in 8 games before that as they sought a return to the play off zone in manager Mick McCarthy’s 1000th game in football management.
The visitors came wearing training shirts bearing the name of veteran defender Sol Bamba, who was being treated for cancer, and were captained by former Town centre half Sean Morrison.
Each side had already had a chance apiece before Naby Sarr gave the ball away to Joe Ralls who shot was blocked before Lewis O’Brien had his shot saved.
Town dominated the early possession in a high tempo start with players looking more energised than they have recently.
Juninho Bacuna won a free kick 25 yards out near the edge of the box after 14 minutes and saw his set piece palmed away by Dillon Phillips for a corner.
Aden Flint thought he had opened the scoring after Harry Wilson sent in a cross in the 32nd minute which the big defender volleyed a shot in but he was flagged for a clear offside as Town almost paid the price for a drop in work rate.
The Bluebirds were forced into the first change after 38 minutes, with Joel Bagan going off injured and replaced by Ciaron Brown.
And Town almost gifted the visitors again when Rarmani Edmonds-Green was robbed trying to play the ball past Josh Murphy and the counter attack ended up with Naby Sarr deflecting his shot away for a corner from which Will Vaulks’ viciously hit volley was tipped away by Schofield.
Huddersfield Town rue wasted chances and missed penalty by Yaya Sanogo
The Bluebirds went on the offensive in the second half but Town won a corner in the 52nd minute which Bacuna swung in and Edmonds-Green stabbed wide of the near post.
Naby Sarr had a decent game but a defensive rick saw him pass to a Cardiff player while playing out from the back who immediately launched a counter attack which had the big defender backpeddling to cut out a through ball which would have seen Schofield exposed for a 1 on 1.
The visitors made their second change when Sheyi Ojo was brought on for Josh Murphy after 58 minutes.
Richard Keogh headed wide from a Bacuna free kick with 25 minutes to go as Town continued to look more dangerous from set pieces.
And battling Town earned a penalty when Aaron Rowe was hauled down by Curtis Nelson after 72 minutes.
Sanogo immediately picked up the ball ahead of Bacuna and sent the spot kick well wide of the target to the left.
Sanogo lashed a chance high and wide as he tried to atone for the deflated Terriers before Kieran Phillips was brought on to replace him with 13 minutes to go.
Schofield punched the ball away as a dipping corner looked to be goalbound for Cardiff before a Town break saw O’Brien release Pipa for a foot race on goal which ended with Dillon Phillips getting a hand to the ball to deflect it behind.
Town finished strongly with O’Brien in good form with Campbell blazing over from 6 yards after Sarr had knocked down O’Brien’s cross into the area.
Marlon Pack replaced Harry Wilson in their final change with 4 minutes to go as Town suffered some late nerves in defence before bringing on Stearman for Rowe in the last minute to make sure of a point with Schofield saving Morrison’s overhead kick in added time.
MATCH STATS – Huddersfield Town 0, Cardiff City 0
Huddersfield Town: Schofield, Edmonds-Green, Keogh, Sarr, Pipa, Bacuna, Vallejo, O’Brien (C), Rowe (Stearman 90), Sanogo (Phillips 77), Campbell
Huddersfield Town subs not used: Pereira, Holmes, Duhaney, Mbenza, Crichlow, Brown, High
Cardiff City: Phillips, Morrison (C), Flint, Nelson, Sang, Vaulks, Ralls, Bagan (Brown 38), Wilson (Pack 86), Murphy (Ojo 58), Moore
Cardiff City subs not used: Smithies, Bacuna, Williams, Harris, Hoilett, Colwill
Bookings: Morrison 63 (foul on Fraizer Campbell); Vaulks 69 (foul on Pipa)
Referee: Tim Robinson