Home > Sport > Football > Cardiff v Swansea: Five memorable South Wales derbies

Cardiff v Swansea: Five memorable South Wales derbies

Cardiff 3-3 Swansea, 27 December 1980 

John Buchanan’s rifled free kick from 35 yards out in the final seconds rescued a draw for Cardiff. Neil Robinson, Alan Curtis and Leighton James had helped to put Swansea 3-1 up after Gary Stevens opened the scoring for Cardiff. But Buchanan’s shot, still regarded as one of the finest goals ever scored in the derby, gave Cardiff a vital point which helped them to escape relegation as they went on to finish 19th in the old Division Two.

Swansea 0-1 Cardiff, 6 February 2011

Both Cardiff and Swansea were racing to be the first Welsh club in the Premier League when they met at the Liberty Stadium in 2011. The cagey game was settled late on when Craig Bellamy faked a run that sent Angel Rangel scarpering into his own area before smashing Aaron Ramsey’s lay-off in off the post. It was Cardiff’s first win in Swansea since 1997, but the Jacks had the last laugh that season as they won the play-offs, beating Cardiff to a place in the top flight.

Cardiff 2-2 Swansea, 5 April 2009

Swansea fans celebrate Joe Allen's goal in the 2008 2-2 draw. Pic: Jon Candy

Swansea fans celebrate Joe Allen’s goal in the 2008 2-2 draw. Pic: Jon Candy

Cardiff snatched a draw with a controversial injury time penalty from Ross McCormack in the last derby at Ninian Park. Swansea thought they had stolen a win in Cardiff when Joe Allen scored his first goal for the club with two minutes to go, but referee Mike Dean pointed to the spot after McCormack crumpled in the area under pressure from Ashley Williams. McCormack kept his cool to keep the bragging rights from Swansea.

Cardiff 1-0 Swansea, 22 December 1993 

Memorable for all the wrong reasons, the violence which marred this match led to away fans being banned from the fixture until 1997. A pitch invasion delayed kick-off for 40 minutes and when Garry Thompson put Cardiff 1-0 up in the second half, fans again invaded the pitch. Seats in the grandstand were ripped up and thrown between supporters and mounted police patrolled the pitch as the derby became the shame of South Wales.

Swansea 2-1 Cardiff, 22 November 1998

Former Swans striker John Williams gave Cardiff the lead in the fourth minute, only for his former club to turn the match on its head in the second half. Julian Alsop levelled the game and Matthew Bound scored in the last minute to win it for the Jacks. It turned out to be the last derby at the Vetch Field as the sides would not meet in Swansea again until a League Cup tie at the Liberty Stadium in 2008.

[socialpoll id=”2186554″]

 

You may also like
Bluebirds in battle for playoff position
Meet the ex-soldier running 2,500 miles to every EFL stadium for charity
Cardiff City sign 30 strikers in nine years but play right-back up top
Cardiff v Leeds called off as league shuts down until April