Tatsuhiro Sakamoto secured a New Year’s Day point for Coventry City in a classic game of two halves at the Cardiff City Stadium where the home side were reduced to ten men a minute after the Sky Blues had equalised.

Coventry enjoyed all the early possession but gave the ball away cheaply from a stray Josh Eccles’ pass which sparked a counter attack and the opening goal for the home side who scored all too easily to put themselves in front with just six minutes on the clock. Callum O’Dowda beat Bobby Thomas on the left wing before sending in a cross which was uncontested, allowing Cian Ashford to head back across the goal to Alex Robertson who steered the ball over he line in a sequence of really poor collective defending.

It was a dreadful first half from the Sky Blues whose passing throughout the pitch was poor. However, they came out fighting in the second half and got themselves back on level terms in the first minute of the restart when Ellis Simms worked his way into the box and hit a shot that deflected off the goalkeeper and into the path of Sakamoto – the Japanese winger hooking home at the near post.

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Seconds later and the Bluebirds were reduced to ten men when Callum Robinson was sent off for violent conduct after lashing out with an elbow in a challenge that left Thomas on the floor.

City dominated the remainder of the half, making the extra man advantage count but struggled to find a way past Jak Aknwick in goal, with Sheaf, Torp and Simms all denied by saves, while Oliver Dovin played his part at the other end, denying Ollie Tanner a winner.

STARTING FORMATION: 4-2-3-1

OLIVER DOVIN: 6.5

Forced to race out of his area to challenge Cian Ashford who beat the off-side trap and looked to run clean through on goal, the keeper doing well because it forced the player wide and City were able to recover. Alert to the danger when he smothered a cross from O’Dowda ahead of Robertson at his near post. Made a terrific save to his right to deny Tanner breaking clean through.

MILAN VAN EWIJK: 4/5

Didn’t get close enough to O’Dowda who caused all manner of problems down the left throughout the first half when he looked off his game. Much better in the second half when he was involved in wave after wave of attacks down City’s right where Sakamoto had come to life.

BOBBY THOMAS: 5

Played a poor pass out of play in the opening few minutes and beaten down the left flank by O’Dowda to get the cross in for the early Cardiff goal. Made a crucial block to deny Siopis’s shot just before the break. Elbowed in the face in the red card incident.

JOEL LATIBEAUDIERE: 5.5/6

Read the game reasonably well and defended well in his box, albeit committed elsewhere for the early goal. Kept a calm head under pressure and looked after the ball well when forced to see it out.

JAKE BIDWELL: 5.5

Got forward well to support attacks and defended reasonably well in a poor collective first half. Did well on the overlap in the second half.

JOSH ECCLES: 5.5

Gave the ball away with a poor pass which sparked Cardiff’s first attack and opening goal. Went close to scoring when he hit a hard and low shot that forced the keeper into his first save just past the half hour mark. Better in the second half.

BEN SHEAF: 5.5/6

Should have done better in the box to defend the opening goal, being the man closest to goal scorer Robertson. Made a brilliant block to deny Willock on the counter attack and then denied by a block on the line a the other end after a lovely three-man move.

TATSUHIRO SAKAMOTO: 6.5

Didn’t offer enough of an attacking threat in the first half when he was one of a number of players who couldn’t contain Cardiff’s threat down the left. In the right place at the right time to hook home the equaliser after good work from Simms in the first minute of the second half. Much better after the break when he started to take on his full-back and become the threat we all know he’s capable of being.

VICTOR TORP: 5/6

Busy and hard working in the final third but unable to find the quality to help City unlock the door in a frustrating first 45. Denied by a decent reaction save as he attempted to put City in front early in the second half. Played a lovely ball back for Sheaf to shoot, only for his effort to be blocked.

JACK RUDONI: 5.5/6

Didn’t challenge for the header from the cross to Ashford for Cardiff’s early goal but involved in a lot of the attacking play. Like the rest of his team-mates, much better after the break.

ELLIS SIMMS: 5.5/6

Attempted to hold the ball up with varying degrees of success in the opening 45. Showed good strength and determination at the start of the second half to work his way into the box and get a shot off that fell to Sakamoto to score the equaliser. Denied by good save from a header and strong running into the box. Showed signs of returning to form.

SUBSTITUTES:

BRANDON THOMAS-ASANTE (63 mins, for Eccles): 4.5

Headed onto the roof of the net when he should have scored.

NORMAN BASSETE (77 mins, for Torp):

Added pace as City attempted to go for the win.

RAPHAEL BORGES RODRIGUES (89 mins, for Sakamoto):

Subs (not used): Brad Collins; Liam Kitching, Jay Dasilva, Luis Binks, Jamie Allen, Fabio Tavares.

CARDIFF CITY (4-2-3-1): Jak Alnwick; Andy Rinomhota, Dimitrios Goutas, Jesper Daland (59 mins, for Perry Ng), Callum O’Dowda; Manolis Siopis, Calum Chambers; Cian Ashford (60 mins, for Yakou Meite), Alex Robertson, Chris Willock; Callum Robinson.

Subs (not used): Ethan Horvath (GK), Joe Ralls, Wilfried Kanga, Joel Bagan, Rubin Colwill, Ollie Tanner, Ronan Kpakio.

GOALS:

BLUEBIRDS: Robertson (6)

SKY BLUES: Sakamoto (46)

REFEREE: Geoff Eltringham

ATTENDANCE: 19,045

NEXT UP: Norwich City (a), Saturday, January 4 (3pm).

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