Match ends, Cardiff City 1, Fulham 1.
CardiffCardiff City1FulhamFulham1
Craig Noone's stunning equaliser secured Cardiff a dramatic draw against Fulham in their Championship opener.
Simon Moore's error in goal, fumbling a Ben Pringle cross, allowed a ruthless Matt Smith to head home for Fulham.
Cardiff had chances as Anthony Pilkington hit the woodwork and also had a goal disallowed for handball.
But the hosts persevered and levelled late on thanks to a fabulous left-footed curling solo effort from their 77th-minute substitute.
Noone's impact was almost immediate as he cut in from the right and struck from the edge of the penalty area.
The Cottagers, who had lost seven of their first eight league games last season, looked on course for a bright start to this season's campaign.
Five summer signings - Andy Lonergan, Pringle, Tom Cairney, Jazz Richards and Jamie O'Hara - started for the visitors and the new-look side was largely a cohesive unit.
But although Fulham dominated for large periods, Cardiff were resilient.
The Welsh side thought they had quickly equalised but Pilkington was deemed to have handled Alex Revell's looping header before it went over the line.
Fulham could have doubled their advantage as Pringle was denied by Moore from close range and their profligacy was punished as the Fulham defence allowed Noone the freedom to roam and cause damage.
Cardiff manager Russell Slade on Craig Noone's equaliser: "We've been waiting for that one.
"Craig does it so many times in training but we didn't see it last season with the success we wanted.
"Pilks (Anthony Pilkington) got the nod above him to start but Craig's come on and made a point - and that's the reaction you want.
"I felt we deserved a point massively on the balance of play and the opportunities created, and their keeper Andy Lonergan was excellent."
Fulham manager Kit Symons: "The changing room's a bit disappointed not to have won it, which is a sign of the expectations within our ranks.
"Overall a draw was probably a fair result but at 1-0 we had one or two very good chances to win it.
"I'm disappointed not to have won it but I was pleased with the performance."
Line-ups
Cardiff
Formation 4-4-2
- 21Moore
- 2Peltier
- 4Morrison
- 16Connolly
- 28Malone
- 13PilkingtonBooked at 51mins
- 7Whittingham
- 15DikgacoiSubstituted forNooneat 77'minutes
- 8Ralls
- 10Mason
- 19RevellSubstituted forAmeobiat 63'minutes
Substitutes
- 3da Silva
- 11Noone
- 17Gunnarsson
- 18Doyle
- 22O'Keefe
- 30Wilson
- 38Ameobi
Fulham
Formation 4-2-3-1
- 24Lonergan
- 2Richards
- 4Hutchinson
- 33Burn
- 15Voser
- 23O'Hara
- 21Christensen
- 10Cairney
- 44McCormack
- 18Pringle
- 9SmithSubstituted forDembeleat 78'minutesBooked at 85mins
Substitutes
- 1Bettinelli
- 6Bodurov
- 11Kacaniklic
- 14Mattila
- 16Woodrow
- 25Dembele
- 28Hyndman
- Referee:
- Darren Bond
- Attendance:
- 15,429
Match Stats
Home TeamCardiffAway TeamFulham
- Possession
- Home54%
- Away46%
- Shots
- Home17
- Away8
- Shots on Target
- Home4
- Away1
- Corners
- Home7
- Away3
- Fouls
- Home8
- Away6
Live Text
Post update
Full Time
Second Half ends, Cardiff City 1, Fulham 1.
Post update
Corner, Fulham. Conceded by Peter Whittingham.
Post update
Attempt blocked. Tom Cairney (Fulham) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Moussa Dembele.
Post update
Sammy Ameobi (Cardiff City).
Post update
Corner, Fulham. Conceded by Scott Malone.
Goal!
Goal! Cardiff City 1, Fulham 1. Craig Noone (Cardiff City) left footed shot from outside the box to the top left corner. Assisted by Peter Whittingham.
Booking
Moussa Dembele (Fulham) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Post update
Matthew Connolly (Cardiff City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Post update
Foul by Moussa Dembele (Fulham).
Post update
Attempt missed. Sean Morrison (Cardiff City) header from the centre of the box misses to the right. Assisted by Peter Whittingham with a cross following a corner.
Post update
Attempt blocked. Joe Ralls (Cardiff City) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
Post update
Corner, Cardiff City. Conceded by Tom Cairney.
Substitution
Substitution, Fulham. Moussa Dembele replaces Matt Smith.
Substitution
Substitution, Cardiff City. Craig Noone replaces Kagisho Dikgacoi.
Post update
Attempt missed. Scott Malone (Cardiff City) left footed shot from outside the box is close, but misses the top left corner. Assisted by Sammy Ameobi.
Post update
Attempt saved. Joe Mason (Cardiff City) right footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Peter Whittingham.
Post update
Attempt saved. Joe Ralls (Cardiff City) left footed shot from outside the box is saved in the bottom right corner.
Post update
Attempt blocked. Joe Mason (Cardiff City) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Joe Ralls.
Post update
Peter Whittingham (Cardiff City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
