Cardiff City 1-1 Stoke City: Bluebirds fight back to earn a point but Sory Kaba misses penalty

Cardiff City were forced to settle for a draw against Stoke City after Sory Kaba's missed penalty spurned a chance for the Bluebirds to take all three points.

Stoke capitalised on another lacklustre start from the Bluebirds, with Josh Laurent heading home early to hand the Potters the lead.

However, it was that man Kaba who netted his eight goal in 13 games for City when he coolly dispatched a low shot to get the Bluebirds back on terms.

And Cardiff had a golden chance to win it when Jaden Philogene was brought down in the box. Kaba stepped up and hit a decent spot-kick, but it was met with an equally impressive save.

Cardiff will have felt the win was there for the taking, but four points from two games this week is not too shabby a return for a club fighting to avoid the drop.

Despite the rip-roaring performance away at Watford in midweek, this clash started with a flat atmosphere to which we have become accustomed at home games, for whatever reason.

The home side started sluggishly with no intent to press the opposition defenders and midfielders, while Stoke grew with confidence as a result.

And it was no surprise when the Potters took the lead. A lovely, whipped corner from Will Smallbone saw Laurent leap above both Kion Etete and Mark McGuinness before nestling an effort into the far corner in quite impressive fashion.

Much like Vicarage Road, though, the goal for the opposition gave Cardiff a much-needed shot in the arm and they then began to stretch their own legs.

But it was in rather fortuitous circumstances that Kaba found himself through on goal. A route-one ball forward was challenged between Etete and two Stoke defenders and it appeared to evade everyone, much to Kaba's delight. The striker bore down on goal