READING FC host Cardiff City on Saturday in their first home match of the 2022/23 Championship season.
The Royals suffered a 1-0 defeat away at Blackpool on the opening day, while it was a different story for the Bluebirds who made an excellent start to their campaign.
Up against newly relegated Norwich City, who are favourites to win promotion back to the Premier League, Cardiff earned an impressive victory.
Romaine Sawyers marked his Cardiff debut with a goal, which proved to be the only goal of the contest, in the 49th minute.
Steve Morison’s team were reduced to 10 players in the 73rd minute when Perry Ng was sent off, but the teams were levelled up in the 85th minute when Grant Hanley was dismissed for Norwich.
After the fracas of two red cards in the closing stages, Cardiff managed to survive to hold on to all three points to make a perfect start to the season.
Morison was appointed as Cardiff bos in October 20231 following the sacking of Mick McCarthy.
He led the Bluebirds to an 18th place finish in the 2021/22 season on 53 points with 15 wins, eight draws and 23 losses.
They were one of the lowest scoring teams in the division, scoring just 50 times in 46 matches and conceded 68 times which left them with a minus 18 goal difference.
But there have been reinforcements throughout the summer, mostly in the form of free transfers.
A face that will be familiar among Reading fans is Andy Rinomohta who left the Royals this summer to join Cardiff on a free transfer.
Rinomhota progressed through Reading’s academy before making his debut for the first-team in 2018.
The central midfielder impressed greatly and made an instant impression in the Royals side where he was awarded as the Player of the Season award at Reading in 2018/19.
He went on to make 125 league appearances for the Royals after installing himself as a main stay in the team, but decided to depart the club after his contract expired this summer and signed a three-year deal with Cardiff.
Joining Rinomhota in the Cardiff ranks this summer has been Sheyi Ojo from Liverpool, Mahlon Romeo from Millwall, Callum O’Dowda from Bristol City, Ryan Allsop from Derby County and Ebou Adams from Forest Green.
