Cardiff City 0-1 Sheffield United: Bluebirds head into World Cup break on back of successive defeats after Baldock strike

Cardiff City head into the international break on the back of consecutive losses after George Baldock's goal consigned the Bluebirds to a 1-0 defeat at home to Sheffield United.

For all of Cardiff's huffing and puffing in the first half, they just couldn't put the ball in the back of the net, a problem which has been evident all season.

The Blades, meanwhile, made the most of a Niels Nkounkou error, with Baldock rifling the ball into Cardiff's goal just after the hour mark.

It is almost a month now until Cardiff play again, but they go into this mini break just one point off the relegation zone and as the Championship's lowest scorers. Not what the doctor ordered.

The start of this match was like night and day, from a Cardiff standpoint, to what we saw against Hull City in midweek. The Bluebirds dominated the early proceedings and had the Blades on the back foot right from the off.

While City got themselves into a number of good positions, they couldn't make that killer pass or hit that pinpoint cross in the first half an hour, but they then clicked into gear.

The first real chance of any note came for Mark Harris, fresh of a Wales World Cup call-up, courtesy of a dangerous cross from Mahlon Romeo. John Egan was on hand to head it away from United's goal, but Harris nipped in and rifled a volley narrowly over the bar from 15 yards out. A difficult chance, but one which signalled a real change in intensity from the Bluebirds.

Just two minutes later, Ryan Wintle attempted an audacious half volley, which was hammered from 30 yards and left Wes Foderingham rooted to the ground as he watched in hope, however the ball whistled just inches past his upright.

Shortly after, Cardiff really should have taken the lead. Callum