Cardiff City kept their FA Cup dreams alive as they overcame Stoke City in a dramatic penalty shootout, securing a place in the fifth round for the first time in 11 years.
Despite twice losing a lead during an action-packed 120 minutes at the Bet365 Stadium, the Bluebirds held firm in the decisive shootout, with Rubin Colwill scoring the winning spot-kick and goalkeeper Ethan Horvath making the key save.
Fast start for Cardiff, but Stoke fight back
Cardiff made a blistering start, taking the lead in the eighth minute when Colwill skipped past defenders and fired into the bottom corner. The visitors doubled their advantage when debutant Yousef Salech capitalised on defensive hesitancy, sneaking between Ben Gibson and goalkeeper Jack Bonham to prod home.
Despite an early setback, Stoke responded before the break. Lewis Koumas saw an initial goal ruled out for offside but was not to be denied, running onto Wouter Burger’s incisive pass and slotting confidently past Horvath.
Buoyed by their strong finish to the first half, the hosts equalised just a minute after the restart. Burger’s clever dummy from a throw-in allowed Koumas to shift onto his right foot and lash in from close range, restoring parity.
Momentum swung fully in Stoke’s favour when Cardiff’s Jasper Daland miscontrolled a routine pass and, in his attempt to recover, fouled Emre Tezgel inside the box. Baker converted the resulting penalty, sending the home crowd into raptures.
Colwill to the rescue as Cardiff force penalties
With Cardiff’s FA Cup campaign hanging in the balance, Colwill stepped up once more. The 21-year-old midfielder picked up the ball on the edge of the area and guided a low shot into the bottom corner via a slight deflection.
As extra time arrived, both teams had opportunities to win it. Joe Ralls and Will Fish went close for Cardiff, while Stoke’s Tatsuki Seko struck the post in a chaotic finale.
The tie was ultimately decided by penalties. Salech and Seko both hit the woodwork before Horvath produced a brilliant save to deny Michael Rose. Colwill, unfazed by the pressure, drilled his penalty straight down the middle to send the travelling fans into celebration.
“We started really poorly. They didn’t need to work very hard to get their goals. To turn it around, we showed good character and played good football,” said Stoke manager Mark Robins.
“We contrived to sit a little deeper, we were poor in the transition and from that point [Cardiff’s third goal] the game became too scrappy. We’re disappointed to go out but we’ve lost on penalties, not lost the game. Lewis Koumas was outstanding and we got minutes into players.”
Writer’s view
This was a gripping, end-to-end cup tie that showcased both sides’ attacking flair but also their defensive vulnerabilities. Cardiff’s ability to fight back despite setbacks was commendable, with Colwill emerging as the match-winner in both open play and the shootout. Stoke, meanwhile, will rue their inability to hold onto a lead, but the performance of Koumas was a rare positive on a frustrating night.
