Cardiff City 1-0 Rotherham United: Jaden Philogene strikes to earn Bluebirds important win over Millers

Cardiff City arrested a run of three straight defeats with a commanding performance and 1-0 win against Rotherham United.

It had been a bruising fortnight for the Bluebirds, who didn't so much as score a goal during that string of losses, and they desperately needed to bounce back in front of their own fans.

And it was the substitute, Jaden Philogene, who provided that moment of magic, which was ultimately the only thing that separated them at the final whistle. The Aston Villa loanee took his chance smartly early in the second half when he was found by a cross from fellow substitute Mahlon Romeo.

While Cardiff were wasteful in front of goal for the most part, it will have been encouraging for Bluebirds to see their team once again dominating the opposition. It was a result this club badly needed and they most certainly deserved it.

Cardiff were almost in dreamland in the second minute when Sheyi Ojo put the ball in the back of the net. Some neat interplay between Mark Harris and Callum O'Dowda preceded the former firing off a low shot at goal, which keeper Viktor Johansson parried into the middle of the box. Ojo was there and tapped home easily, just seconds before the official raised his flag.

But it was a positive early sign and Cardiff did dominate the early proceedings. O'Dowda himself had the next big opportunity when Joe Ralls slid in a neat ball down the side of the centre-back and the Irishman belted a first-time effort with his left foot, but it rippled the side-netting.

For all of Cardiff's huff and puff, though, they just couldn't blow the house down. Although one opportunity after the half-hour mark should have seen the deadlock broken. O'Dowda skinned his man, this time on the right flank, and fizzed in a