Sheffield Wednesday 3-0 Cardiff City

Sheffield Wednesday players celebrate Gary Hooper's opening goal against Cardiff

Sheffield Wednesday sealed their place in the Championship play-offs by beating Cardiff at Hillsborough.

After a goalless first half, Gary Hooper struck on the rebound to put the hosts in front.

A mistake by Cardiff goalkeeper David Marshall led to an own goal from Lee Peltier, before Hooper scored his second in added time.

Sixth-placed Wednesday now have an unassailable seven-point lead over Cardiff in seventh with one game left.

Carlos Carvalhal's side will have to wait until the final weekend - when they are away at Wolves - to discover their play-off opponents.

• READ MORE: Carvalhal proud of Owls' play-off spot

They are guaranteed to finish at least sixth but could yet climb to fifth, with current occupants Derby at third-placed Brighton on Monday.

Wednesday only needed a draw against Cardiff to secure the final play-off spot but looked intent on claiming victory with a forceful start.

Roared on by a packed Hillsborough, the hosts were close to opening the scoring with Daniel Pudil shooting over and Hooper striking the post from 25 yards.

Cardiff's Sean Morrison (left) challenges Lucas Joao of Sheffield Wednesday

Cardiff dug in to keep the game goalless at the interval, threatening briefly as Peter Whittingham fired wide from the edge of the area.

Wednesday eventually broke their opponents' resistance after 64 minutes, as Hooper struck high into the net after Pudil's initial shot was saved.

Former Celtic and Norwich striker Hooper had a hand in the second goal 10 minutes later, pinching the ball from Marshall and forcing Peltier to put the ball into his own net.

Hooper scored his second with a neat finish in added time.

Sheffield Wednesday head coach Carlos Carvalhal: "I said from the beginning that we were outsiders this season.

"We achieved this place because we have a fantastic group of players, they're acting like a team, we are one as a team.

"We feel strong at the moment, like at the beginning of the season. We saw that today. We saw the reaction when we lost the ball - we were like dogs.

"Getting to the play-offs is the work of a lot of people; the players, the chairman and the fans who turn out home and away."

Cardiff manager Russell Slade told BBC Radio Wales: "It hurts. I'm just very disappointed with the second half and a couple of the goals we conceded.

"If you stay in the game, the pressure mounts on them but we were not able to apply that in the second period.

"We were not a great enough threat in that second half. It was not to be. I have to say we got beaten by the better side."

• Line-ups
• Match Stats
• Live Text

Line-ups

Sheff Wed

• 1Westwood
• 32Hunt
• 15Lees
• 5Loovens
• 36PudilSubstituted forHelanat 81'minutes
• 20Lee
• 21López
• 41Bannan
• 14Hooper
• 18Lucas JoãoSubstituted forMatiasat 86'minutes
• 45ForestieriBooked at 31minsSubstituted forNuhiuat 70'minutes

Substitutes

• 2Palmer
• 3Turner
• 4Hutchinson
• 7Matias
• 9Nuhiu
• 17Helan
• 28Wildsmith

Cardiff

• 1Marshall
• 2Peltier
• 4MorrisonSubstituted forEcuele Mangaat 62'minutes
• 16ConnollyBooked at 54mins
• 28MaloneBooked at 74mins
• 11Noone
• 22O'KeefeBooked at 24mins
• 15DikgacoiSubstituted forK Harrisat 72'minutes
• 7Whittingham
• 13PilkingtonSubstituted forAmeobiat 20'minutes
• 26Zohore

Substitutes

• 5Ecuele Manga
• 6Turner
• 17Gunnarsson
• 21Moore
• 24K Harris
• 37Lawrence
• 38Ameobi

Referee:

Paul Tierney

Attendance:

31,843

Match Stats

Home TeamSheff WedAway TeamCardiff

Possession

Home59%

Away41%

Shots

Home17

Away9

Shots on Target

Home5

Away2

Corners

Home6

Away3

Fouls

Home6

Away11

Live Text

Posted at

Match ends, Sheffield Wednesday 3, Cardiff City 0.

Full Time

Posted at 90'+5'

Second Half ends, Sheffield Wednesday 3, Cardiff City 0.

Goal!

Posted at 90'+4'

Goal! Sheffield Wednesday 3, Cardiff City 0. Gary Hooper (Sheffield Wednesday) right footed shot from the centre of the box to the centre of the goal. Assisted by Atdhe Nuhiu with a headed pass.

Posted at 90'+2'

Offside, Sheffield Wednesday. Atdhe Nuhiu tries a through ball, but Gary Hooper is caught offside.

Posted at 90'+2'

Attempt missed. Sammy Ameobi (Cardiff City) left footed shot from outside the box misses to the right. Assisted by Scott Malone.

Posted at 90'

Attempt missed. Marco Matias (Sheffield Wednesday) right footed shot from outside the box misses to the right. Assisted by Gary Hooper.

Posted at 89'

Attempt missed. Peter Whittingham (Cardiff City) left footed shot from outside the box is close, but misses to the right from a direct free kick.

Posted at 89'

Foul by Kieran Lee (Sheffield Wednesday).

Posted at 89'

Stuart O'Keefe (Cardiff City) wins a free kick in the attacking half.

Posted at 88'

Foul by Atdhe Nuhiu (Sheffield Wednesday).

Posted at 88'

Sammy Ameobi (Cardiff City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Posted at 87'

Corner, Sheffield Wednesday. Conceded by Lee Peltier.

Posted at 87'

Attempt blocked. Marco Matias (Sheffield Wednesday) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Kieran Lee.

Substitution

Posted at 86'

Substitution, Sheffield Wednesday. Marco Matias replaces Lucas João because of an injury.

Posted at 86'

Delay over. They are ready to continue.

Posted at 85'

Delay in match Lucas João (Sheffield Wednesday) because of an injury.

Posted at 83'

Attempt saved. Lucas João (Sheffield Wednesday) left footed shot from the left side of the box is saved in the bottom right corner. Assisted by Barry Bannan.

Posted at 83'

Corner, Cardiff City. Conceded by Kieran Lee.

Substitution

Posted at 81'

Substitution, Sheffield Wednesday. Jeremy Helan replaces Daniel Pudil.

Posted at 80'

Attempt missed. Atdhe Nuhiu (Sheffield Wednesday) left footed shot from the right side of the box misses to the left.

Posted at 78'

Offside, Sheffield Wednesday. Atdhe Nuhiu tries a through ball, but Lucas João is caught offside.

Posted at 77'

Attempt missed. Sammy Ameobi (Cardiff City) left footed shot from outside the box misses to the right. Assisted by Kadeem Harris.

Goal!

Posted at 75'

Own Goal by Lee Peltier, Cardiff City. Sheffield Wednesday 2, Cardiff City 0.

Booking

Posted at 74'

Scott Malone (Cardiff City) is shown the yellow card.

Substitution

Posted at 72'

Substitution, Cardiff City. Kadeem Harris replaces Kagisho Dikgacoi.

Posted at 70'

Attempt saved. Atdhe Nuhiu (Sheffield Wednesday) header from the right side of the six yard box is saved in the bottom right corner. Assisted by Barry Bannan.

Substitution

Posted at 70'

Substitution, Sheffield Wednesday. Atdhe Nuhiu replaces Fernando Forestieri.

Posted at 68'

Lucas João (Sheffield Wednesday) wins a free kick in the attacking half.

Posted at 68'

Foul by Bruno Ecuele Manga (Cardiff City).

Posted at 68'

Attempt saved. Craig Noone (Cardiff City) left footed shot from outside the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Sammy Ameobi.

Goal!

Posted at 64'

Goal! Sheffield Wednesday 1, Cardiff City 0. Gary Hooper (Sheffield Wednesday) left footed shot from the left side of the six yard box to the high centre of the goal.

Posted at 64'

Attempt saved. Daniel Pudil (Sheffield Wednesday) left footed shot from a difficult angle and long range on the left is saved in the bottom left corner. Assisted by Kieran Lee.

Posted at 63'

Fernando Forestieri (Sheffield Wednesday) wins a free kick on the left wing.

Posted at 63'

Foul by Lee Peltier (Cardiff City).

Substitution

Posted at 62'

Substitution, Cardiff City. Bruno Ecuele Manga replaces Sean Morrison because of an injury.

Posted at 62'

Foul by Lucas João (Sheffield Wednesday).

Posted at 62'

Sammy Ameobi (Cardiff City) wins a free kick on the left wing.

Posted at 61'

Attempt saved. Craig Noone (Cardiff City) left footed shot from outside the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Kagisho Dikgacoi.

Posted at 59'

Foul by Kieran Lee (Sheffield Wednesday).

Posted at 59'

Stuart O'Keefe (Cardiff City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

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