Cardiff City 3, Ipswich Town 1
Cardiff City’s Great Dane Kenneth Zohore is loving life in the Championship.
Zohore is being overworked because manager Neil Warnock has no real options to lead the Bluebirds attack, but he is building a solid reputation.
City’s previous Danish centre-forward Andreas Cornelius cost £8m and expectations were huge, but the young striker flopped.
Zohore, 23, came in from Belgian club KVK Kortrijk, a virtually unknown forward and little was expected.
Now he has scored nine goals in 10 Championship appearances, six in his last six.
Cardiff hit back from a goal down to beat Ipswich and Zohore scored twice. His second, a clinical, composed finish, came after Junior Hoilett’s clever back heel sent him running clear.
Zohore has physical presence, pace and is a fans favourite. His willingness to chase lost causes has earned the love of Bluebirds fans who are starting to believe that next season their team could challenge the leading clubs.
“I’ve scored some goals I did not know I had in me,” says Zohore. “But that confidence to just attack is lovely.”
Warnock has taken a keen interest in Zohore’s progress, initiating a training regime to improve fitness and his work ethic.
“I just think that I have figured out how to use my body,” says the big hit-man.
“I recover really well when there are no matches, so I’m totally focused when the match comes and I just know that nothing can stop me.”
It took eight matches until Zohore was even included in a Warnock matchday squad and 10 games until the manager gave him any first team action when he replaced Lex Immers against Wolves.
“He was surprised by his own performance, but I wasn’t,” said Warnock. “It was do or die for him.”
Zohore’s double against Ipswich plus full-back Joe Bennett’s goal, his first since 2014, earned Cardiff a win which takes them to 51 points.
“I am delighted we have reached 51 points with eight fixtures left,” said Warnock. “The players have really out in some big shifts.”
While Cardiff are looking upwards and aiming for a top half finish, Ipswich seem to be sliding into trouble.
Their 60-year stay in the top two tiers of English football is in danger . They have earned only 14 points from a possible 42 un 2017 and are 17th in the Championship table, five pints above the relegation places.
“We’re in a relegation scrap, I’ve never denied that,” said McCarthy. “I’ve been asked that in press conferences all the time and I’ve always said I’m looking over my shoulder at the teams behind me, not in front of me. I’ve not shied away from that, ever.”
Ipswich went ahead when Wales forward Tom Lawrence crossed for Luke Chambers to head home, but this was Cardiff’s day.
The Tractors Boys are now only five points from the relegation zone, while Cardiff have an 11-point cushion from the bottom three.
“We were winning battles in every department, and the fans got behind us to create a brilliant atmosphere,” said Warnock. “We created a lot more today and I really enjoyed it.”
Cardiff City: McGregor, Richards, Morrison, Bamba, Bennett, Noone (Halford 79), Gunnarsson, Whittingham, K Harris (John 93), Hoilett, Zohore (Pilkington 83). Subs not used: Manga, Lambert, Meite, Murphy.
Ipswich Town: Bialkowski, Spence, Chambers, Berra, Smith (Pitman 45), Knudsen, G Ward, Skuse, Diagouraga (Rowe 79), McGoldrick (Sears 78), Lawrence. Subs not used: Gerken, Digby, Bru, Kenlock.
Referee: James Linington
Attendance: 15,182.
