Cardiff City 0-1 Tottenham: Spurs dominance tells

Paulinho of Tottengam and Gary Medel of Cardiff. Picture: Getty

Scorer: Tottenham Hotspur - Paulinho (90)

Spurs dominated large sections of the game at Cardiff City Stadium but were denied on countless occasions as Marshall made crucial saves from Roberto Soldado, Christian Eriksen, Paulinho and Gylfi Sigurdsson.

Even when former Swansea man Sigurdsson did beat Marshall, his effort struck the crossbar. But Paulinho finally made their dominance tell as he tapped in Erik Lamela’s pass from close range to seal a 1-0 win.

Cardiff created few clear chances but felt they had twice come out on the wrong end of decisions by the officials.

The first came when Hugo Lloris appeared to handle outside his area as Fraizer Campbell attempted to round him, although replays suggested it was a very tight call. The second saw Ben Turner’s header from a corner chalked off after Aron Gunnarsson was adjudged to have impeded Lloris.

Although Spurs would take a stranglehold on proceedings, Cardiff made a purposeful opening but Spurs soon settled down and assumed control.

They crafted a fine chance for Soldado, after a thrilling burst from Andros Townsend, but Marshall was able to turn the Spaniard’s shot round the post.

Kyle Walker followed the winger’s lead as he took off from inside his own half on a run that took him into the Cardiff box, where Turner made a crucial tackle.

Marshall soon found himself severely overworked, saving twice from Eriksen. Sigurdsson also stung the Scotland keeper’s palms, but Cardiff then enjoyed a better spell up to half-time, and they were aggrieved not to be leading at the break.

Lloris’ poor control of a back pass gifted Cardiff a corner, which Turner headed in at the far post, but referee Mark Clattenburg ruled the keeper had been impeded by Gunnarsson. It appeared a soft decision.

Cardiff’s gradual improvement continued at the start of the second half, with Craig Bellamy racing clear only for Lloris to cut out his pull-back for Peter Whittingham.

But the hosts were again indebted to Marshall moments later. Sigurdsson’s shot from the edge of the box came back off the crossbar to fall to Soldado in acres of space, but he was again denied by the keeper’s legs.

Spurs continued to pile on the pressure, but Cardiff held firm as the game entered the final 15 minutes. Marshall saved well from Paulinho but could do nothing to keep out the Brazilian’s final effort from inside the six-yard box.