Omer Riza left 'disappointed' after dropping two points as Cardiff City star now has huge role
Omer Riza said he was left "disappointed" by his Cardiff City team having to settle for a point against Plymouth Argyle, but admitted it could be an important result after fighting with 10 men for the best part of 50 minutes.
The Bluebirds took the lead early through Yousef Salech at Home Park, but Dimitrios Goutas's red card changed the game entirely, with Muhamed Tijani netting an equaliser not long after the Greek was sent off not long into the second half.
Given Cardiff were taking on fellow relegation candidates Plymouth, the bigger picture means Saturday's hosts gain no ground on City - with Riza's side having a game in hand. Sign up to our daily Cardiff City newsletter here.
READ MORE: Unknown Cardiff City kid stands out in first-team training as 'tenacious' youngster also impresses
Speaking after the match, Riza said: “We’re disappointed that we had to struggle for 40-45 minutes to get a point.
"I thought we controlled the game in the first half, but the red card helped them get their tails up. We tried to stop them scoring, but they got the equaliser and in the end, we’re happy to come away with a point because it was difficult.
“I said to the players, it’s still a very important point, although we wanted to take three and we potentially could have taken three today. We weren’t bad with how we wanted to set up and how we wanted to play against them. To get a point, with 45 minutes to go, with 10 men, was difficult and credit to the boys that played, started and finished the game, the boys that came on, it’s just a shame we couldn’t get three.
“We’ve got a game in hand, but like I say, we came today to win the game and it was heading that way. If we’d have scored the second goal, I think we’d have won the game, but the red card put us on the back foot, so we can be satisfied with a point today."
Riza admitted that Jak Alnwick's hamstring injury at the end of the match could be problematic, with a quick turnaround to Tuesday's match against Hull City, who produced a shock win over promotion candidates Sunderland on Saturday afternoon.
WHATSAPP: Join the Cardiff City breaking news and top stories WhatsApp community
It means that game against the Tigers next week has gained more importance, but a real positive for Riza is the form of striker Salech.
The 23-year-old started due to the absence of top-scorer Callum Robinson and scored his fourth goal in eight games for his new club following his signing in the January window.
While Robinson might be fit for the game against Hull next week, according to Riza, the manager praised Salech and said he is now a huge part of Cardiff's push for safety in the final 13 games.
“Yousef is doing well, he’s playing with confidence," Riza added.
"I know the qualities that he’s got. He just needs to keep working hard and he’s a big part of the squad. He’s got four goals now, which is a credit to him."
