Former referee's simple verdict on Cardiff City red card vs Leeds United as four key points highlighted
Leeds United were comfortable winners at the Cardiff City Stadium.
Former top-flight referee Keith Hackett insists the law was applied correctly to send Cardiff City’s Joel Bagan off during Leeds United’s 2-0 win in south Wales on Saturday.
Leeds enjoyed an instant return to winning ways at the Cardiff City Stadium as goals either side of half-time from Largie Ramazani and Joel Piroe saw them climb back into the play-off places. Daniel Farke’s side were dominant from start to finish against the rock-bottom Bluebirds and could easily have had more, but were helped by dismissal of Bagan inside 23 minutes.
Centre-back Bagan was shown a straight red card for taking out Wilfried Gnonto as the last man, although there was some confusion as the Leeds man got back on his feet and referee Josh Smith played advantage. But after another slight tug on Gnonto’s shirt, play was pulled back for the initial foul.
Smith then deemed the foul to have denied a clear goal-scoring opportunity for Gnonto, who was set to race clean through on goal, and brandished the red card. Cardiff were incensed by the decision to send Bagan off and there was initial confusion, but Hackett took to social media to explain how Smith had actually got it right.
Responding to an individual on X suggesting the decision was incorrect, Hackett wrote: “Andrew I have had a look at the red card. DOGSO (denial of a goal-scoring opportunity) Criteria: 1 Direction of play towards goal - yes. Probability of controlling the ball - yes. Position of covering defenders - too far away. Was it a foul - yes. The DOGSO law fulfilled and sanction correct. He applied the law.”
The impetus was already with Leeds by that point and they made the most of their man advantage with the opening goal not long after. Pascal Struijk’s towering header was flicked on by Mateo Joseph for Ramazani to run through on goal and finish well.
Farke’s men continued to create chances but a string of wasteful finishes kept the scoreline tight, with Struijk seeing his penalty saved and Ramazani also at fault for missing a great opportunity. It was left for Piroe to eventually ease the tension, finishing brilliantly in front of the away end in the game’s final minutes.
Victory leaves Leeds sixth with 11 points going into a potentially tricky run of fixtures. They host Coventry City on Saturday before meetings with Norwich City, Sunderland, Sheffield United and Watford over the next month.