The FA Cup sponsored by E.ON
Semi-Finals
4pm, Sunday 6 April 2008
Wembley Stadium
Winning clubs will receive £900,000 from The FA
Cardiff City will play in their first FA Cup Final in 81 years after Joe Ledley's sublime volley ended Barnsley's fairytale.
The midfielder decided an entertaining Semi-Final with a cultured swing of his left boot to book a date with Portsmouth next month.
But while Cardiff celebrate, Barnsley will rue Kayode Odejayi's shocking second half miss that was as memorable as Ledley's goal.
Football is a fickle mistress. Today's hero is tomorrow's villain and Odejayi, the match-winner against Chelsea, will wake up in a cold sweat wondering just how he failed to hit the target when clean through. While the Cardiff players celebrated at the final whistle, Odejayi cut a forlorn figure, staring blankly into the distance.
Both sets of fans turned Wembley into a sea of red and blue, a colourful scene made even more eye-catching by Peter Enckleman and Bobby Hassell who both sported bleach blond hair-dos for the occasion.
Much of the pre-match brouhaha surrounded the slayer of Liverpool, Brian Howard, and he announced himself with an early shot that was blocked soon followed by a bone-jarring tackle in the middle of the park.
Cardiff drew first blood after just nine minutes. Barnsley defender Robert Kozluk could only head a long throw as far as Ledley who expertly hooked a looping volley over Luke Steele.
Barnsley got their first sight of goal after Jamal Campbell Ryce's persistence earned his side a corner. Howard's floated delivery was met by the towering Dennis Souza but his header went just wide.
Steele has enjoyed his FA Cup fairytale and he added another chapter midway through the half. Having pushed away Jimmy-Floyd Hasselbaink's shot, the on-loan stopper reacted bravely to thwart Trevor Sinclair from close range.
Barnsley were creating chances themselves with the excellent Howard industrious in midfield and Campbell Ryce a particular menace on the left flank. On the other wing Martin Devaney's precise crosses gave the Yorkshire side another reason to think they could get back in the game.
Cardiff boss Dave Jones was forced into an early change when he replaced the hobbling Kevin McNaughton for the promising Aaron Ramsay.
Jones should have been celebrating his side's second goal in the 52nd minute. After Ledley had escaped down the left flank and crossed, Gavin Rae burst into the box but could only head into the grateful hands of the diving Steele.
Barnsley responded with a bout of pressure but perhaps lacked the killer touch to haul themselves level. Simon Davey reacted by throwing on another forward Michael Coulson in the 66th minute.
All eyes were on another Barnsley striker Odejayi seconds later. Charging clear after slipping through the offside trap, the former Cheltenham man had just Enckleman to beat but inexplicably fired into the side netting. They would not get a better chance.
Peter Whittingham almost compounded Odejayi's profligacy with a thumping effort which grazed the roof of the net and Cardiff went even closer moments later when Rae steamed through but Steele spread himself to make an excellent save.
Barnsley desperately piled forward in search of an equaliser, forcing a defensive switch from Jones who introduced Riccardo Scimeca for Hasselbaink with just minutes left on the clock.
The substitute didn't need to do much though as Cardiff held on to book a Wembley date in May.