Cardiff City 0-1 West Bromwich Albion: Jeremy Sarmiento stunner consigns Bluebirds to second home defeat in a row

Cardiff City slumped to a frustrating 1-0 defeat at the hands of West Brom courtesy of a screamer from Jeremy Sarmiento.

The Bluebirds were riding high off the back of that turnaround win up at Deepdale at the weekend, but in all truth they turned out a flat and feckless performance back on home soil against the Baggies.

In a game generally devoid of quality, it was Brighton's Sarmiento who brought Premier League class to this gritty game when, just after the break, he sent a stunning, whipped effort into the Bluebirds' goal from an unlikely angle. Cardiff could barely huff nor puff. They lacked ideas and creativity and the Baggies, all things considered, were good for the win. Cardiff's second home defeat in a row after their capitulation against Norwich City a fortnight ago.

Erol Bulut had a few selection dilemmas heading into the tie, with Jamilu Collins suspended owing to his five yellow cards so far this season, while Karlan Grant was ineligible to face his parent club. There were question marks surrounding Alex Runarsson, too, after his part in Preston North End's goal at the weekend, but he kept his place over Jak Alnwick.

Elsewhere, Mahlon Romeo was introduced and played on the right, while Perry Ng was shipped over to the left. Ollie Tanner was given his chance from the off in Grant's stead.

The match started with a real arm wrestle to decide which team was in the ascendancy, but the visitors arguably had the lion's share of possession and territory in the first half an hour, with neither team really troubling their opponents' goal.

It was a flat atmosphere and the game was doing very little to lift it. That was, of course, until a loose ball spilled out to Callum Robinson on the edge of the box. The former West