Match Report – Cardiff 2 – 3 C Palace

Highlights and report that Brighton survives down with two games to play

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Cardiff's relegation to the Premier League was confirmed after Neil Warnock's team lost 3-2 to Crystal Palace.

Wilfried Zaha gave Crystal Palace the lead in the 28th minute, but a goal against Martin Kelly (31) equalized the situation shortly thereafter.

The visitors took over the advantage by Michy Batshuayi (39) just before the break, before Andros Townsend (70) added the third in the post.

Cardiff had several chances in the second half, but was only able to find the net once again as Bobby Reid scored a consolation in the 90th minute.

The hosts will now enter the Sky Bet championship next season while Brighton's survival has been confirmed before their match against Arsenal on Renault Super Sunday.

Defeat will see Cardiff play in the Sky Bet Championship next season

How Cardiff was relegated

It was a weird opening for Cardiff. Josh Murphy scored a goal against the post in the space of two minutes before his top scorer, Victor Camarasa, hit hard and did not succeed, despite his efforts, to continue. He was replaced by Leandro Bacuna in the 11th minute.

Crystal Palace opened the scoring in the 28th minute. It was also Zaha who started the movement, sliding the ball to the left on Townsend before recovering it from the top of the box. He shifted it between his feet before pulling in the lower corner.

Despair became a hope for Cardiff three minutes later when a lack of communication between Kelly and Vicente Guaita restored them. Bacuna went down to the right before putting an inviting ball into the box, aiming at Danny Ward. But with the goalkeeper of the Crystal Palace away from his line, Kelly saw the cross slipping off his foot and landing at the back of an open net.

The draw did not last long since Crystal Palace took over the advantage in the 39th minute with a well-done goal. Zaha drove to the left, again terrorizing Lee Peltier, before returning to the ball for Luka Milivojevic. In turn, he chose Batshuayi in the zone, who played a nice double with Jordan Ayew – the ball hitting Bruno Ecuele Manga's legs on the way – before firing.

Cardiff saw several opportunities at the start of the second half. Nathaniel Mendez-Laing hit in the 56th minute on a sensational center for the opposing post, but Murphy failed to put his effort to the score, and sent it off point blank.

Michy Batshuayi scored the Crystal Palace's second goal at the Cardiff City Stadium

Kelly then made two huge blocks for Crystal Palace. He threw his body in front of a stinging effort from Murphy in the 63rd minute before scoring to save Guaita in a corner after Kenneth Zohore attempted to send the ball around the goalkeeper.

The visitors resisted the pressure well and added a third in the 70th minute, finally breaking Cardiff's heart. It was a magnificent Townsend solo race that Joe Bennett could not stop, with his fierce training from the top of the surface bouncing off the back of the net via the post.

Aaron Wan-Bissaka from Crystal Palace and Josh Murphy from Cardiff fight for ball

Cardiff's bad luck continued as they had made an effort on the line before playing themselves in the last 15 minutes. The first saw James McArthur hijacking a Mendez-Laing effort on the goal line before the winger saw another strike pushed on the crossbar by Guaita.

The hosts found a consolation earned in the 90th minute thanks to a superb shot from Reid, who crossed the top of the box before trying his luck. But Cardiff could not find another person to keep their dreams in the Premier League alive, their relegation being confirmed.

Opta Stats

• The city of Cardiff was relegated from the Premier League, becoming the only team to play more than one Premier League season and to be relegated to each season (also relegated in 2013-14).
• Crystal Palace has won 29 Premier League points this season (W9, D2, L8). Only Man City, Liverpool and the Spurs have won more.
• Neil Warnock underwent his third high flying relegation with three different teams in three decades: Notts County in 1991-92, Sheffield United in 2006-07 and Cardiff City in 2018-2019.
• Crystal Palace forward Michy Batshuayi was the winner of eight Premier League games in which he found the net. only Daniel Agger (9) and Chris Smalling (11) scored more games with a record of 100%.
• Only Jamie Vardy (10) and Harry Kane (11) have scored more goals in the Premier League this season than Crystal Palace winger Wilfried Zaha (9).
• Crystal Palace defenseman Martin Kelly has scored each of his last two goals in the Premier League, a goal today and against Chelsea in March 2018.

Man of the Match – Wilfried Zaha

Wilfried Zaha scored the first goal on Saturday

It was a superb performance from Zaha, especially in the first half, which was the driving force behind Crystal Palace's goals. Indeed, he scored the first match after the start and also participated in the preparation of the second.

He was quieter in the second half, while Cardiff pushed for goals that would keep them in the league, but still appeared at the break for Palace, from where they always seemed dangerous.

And after?

There remains only one Premier League game to play this season. Cardiff will visit Manchester United next Sunday as Crystal Palace signs a home game against Bournemouth.

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