Watford 1-2 Cardiff City: Robinson double earns Bluebirds first away win of the season

Cardiff City's long wait for their first away win of the season is over thanks to a Callum Robinson double at Watford.

The Bluebirds were winless in nine heading into this one and Omer Riza was coming under increased pressure. But two first-half goals from City's top scorer ensured the Bluebirds broke their winless streak and earned their first three points away from home since April.

The 2-1 triumph will have tasted doubly sweet for Riza, who has spent so much of his coaching career at Vicarage Road. And while 2024 has been pretty bleak for Bluebirds fans, they will hope this final game of the year will be a pre-cursor for better things to come in 2025.

Three changes from Riza saw Robinson, Jesper Daland and Cian Ashford brought into the team following the disappointing defeat at Oxford United and the manager was immediately repaid for his changes.

Barely a minute had gone before Irish striker Robinson opened his account and what a lovely goal it was. Callum O'Dowda fizzed a low cross into his compatriot on the edge of the area and Robinson showed what class he possesses when he took a touch before drilling expertly into the bottom corner.

Notably, the forward sprinted over to Riza to give him a hug on the sidelines, with the Bluebirds boss under increasing pressure heading into this fixture. Sign up to our daily Cardiff City newsletter here.

It was a messy start from the dangerous Hornets, but once they hit their stride Cardiff have to dig in and show discipline and organisation. Calum Chambers was deployed in a deep-lying midfield role and did well to mop up danger. Andy Rinomhota played like a man possessed at right-back, tasked with keeping the dangerous Chakvetadze quiet and did incredibly well for the most part.