Welsh international Andy King scored a second half double as Leicester City posted their first win of the season and in doing so put an end to Cardiff's unbeaten start as they came from behind to win 2-1 on a wet night at the Walkers Stadium.
For the second time within four days Cardiff were without the injured quartet of Bellamy, Bothroyd, Drinkwater and Chopra, but Seyi Olofinjana, who has been as important a player as any during Cardiff's impressive start to the season, joined them on the injured list.
Cardiff, starting in a 4-4-1-1 formation, with Koumas supporting loan striker Keogh, started well enough and although not exactly on top, were seeing as much as the ball as the home side and it was the visitors who had the first shot of the game when Koumas forced Ikeme to save down to his right after an effort from the edge of the area.
There was little much to report on in the next 15 minutes or so, Marshall comfortably saved from Howard and the pacey Dyer threatened down the left without yet creating anything clear cut, but Cardiff looked strong at the back with Gypes and Hudson winning pretty much everything both on the ground and aerial.
But things were to change in the 26th minute. Koumas spread the ball out left from a central position with a sweeping pass and Naylor picked it up, carried the ball a few yards forward and smashed it in from all of 40 yards over the head of the helpless Ikeme. Did he mean it? I'm not so sure - I would guess not - the way he shaped it, a cross would be the best bet but as soon as it became apparent it wasn't going anywhere near a City player there was only one place it was going and that was the back of the net. I know it's a clichéd thing to say, but it just looked in as soon as he hit it. The City fans went mad, it was a screamer whether it was intentional or not. 1-0.
The goal seemed to perk City up, although they hadn't been playing badly before the goal, at the same time they hadn't really threatened, but Koumas and Burke started to get more involved and City looked as likely to score during this 10 minute spell as they did in the whole match. Koumas shot wide and Keogh had a decent effort stopped by Ikeme.
But that was as good as it got for Cardiff as Leicester began to take a stranglehold on the game. With 10 minutes to the break Leicester threatened the Cardiff goal for the first time in the night. Howard had a goal bound shot blocked (by his own player) and Keogh cleared off the line in the space of seconds.
Cardiff's thoughts would have been solely on getting to the break with a clean sheet and would've failed in doing so if Martyn Waghorn had successfully have finished from 3 yards after Dyer had broken and crossed down the left hand side.
Despite the pressure and the chances, the Bluebirds did manage to hang on to their lead until the break, but there was still a sense that a draw would still be a decent result against a Leicester team not too dissimilar to the side that they played in the play-off semi-finals just a few months ago.
Leicester started the second half as they finished the first and it didn't take them long to draw level as Wellens crossed for the unmarked King to head home just 6 minutes after the re-start. Leicester continued to press and if Cardiff were going to leave with anything tonight they needed to weather the storm.
Leicester looked likely to take the lead at any time and with 68 minutes on the clock - after a few decent saves from Marshall - managed this, as King, finding himself unmarked on the edge of the area fired into the top left hand corner. It was a quality strike and capped off a fine display by the Welshman.
Cardiff, looking fatigued, made substitutions, with Wildig and Blake coming on for Koumas and McPhail respectively, both replacements are decent enough players, but neither were likely to get Cardiff back in the gane.
With 15 minutes left on the clock, Dyer was given the perfect chance to seal the win as Marshall inexplicably passed the ball to him straight from a goal kick, the winger dribbled into the box and hit the post, but he really should have scored and put any comeback by Cardiff out of the question. Marshall's distribution was terrible all night and he was extremely lucky to have gotten away with this.
Just minutes later Cardiff could and maybe should have been awarded a penalty when a Foxes defender clearly pulled on the shirt of Keogh. It wasn't the worst foul in the world, but a clear one all the same.
Despite 5 minutes of injury time Leicester easily held on for their win and it was thoroughly deserved. Two games within four days was too much for a depleted Cardiff team stricken with injury's, however I'm sure any City fan would've taken 2nd spot with 13 points after 6 games if offered at the start of the season. It's a long season and even if we are to have a successful campaign, there are bound to be blips on the way. I left Leicester feeling obvious disappointment, but confident we can and will bounce back on Saturday against Ipswich.
As for me, that's it for a few weeks, I've decided against making the long, expensive trip to Suffolk on Saturday and I will more than likely miss the next 2 home games as I will more than likely be taking some time off to recover from a nephrectomy, all sympathy gratefully accepted and appreciated.
Result - Leicester City 2 Cardiff City 1
Scorers - City: Naylor (26) Leicester: King (51, 68)
Attendance - 20,510
My Man of the Match - Gabor Gypes. Solid throughout, won everything in the air and was solid on the ground.
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