Fraser Campbell scored a second-half brace for Welsh club Cardiff City to help expose the defensive frailties of the coach Manuel Pellegrini-led Manchester City in their second game of the English Premieir League.
After falling behind to Edin Dzeko’s powerful 52nd minute opener, Aaron Gunnarsson leveled up for Malky Mackay’s side before the Manchester United youth product headed home twice within eight minutes to earn the last season Championship winners their first victory on the return to top flight football.
With four minutes of stoppage time left to be played, Alvaro Negredo pulled one back for the 2011/12 champions but Cardiff held on for the remainder of the game.
“It was a pity,” Pellegrini said after the match. “I did not expect to lose. We didn’t play well but they played with ten players near their box so was very difficult to score.
“We must continue working. We have just started and not a lot of teams will win here. They are not an easy team to play. We will try to start again when we play at home against Hull.”
In the other Sunday match involving Tottenham Hotspur and Swansea, Roberto Soldado scored his fourth goal in three games to steer Spurs to a second victory in front of the White Hart Lane faithful.
Jonjo Shelvey fouled Andros Townsend inside the box close to the hour mark before Soldado stepped up to send goalkeeper Michel Vorm the wrong way from the resultant spot kick.
Both Vincent Kompany and Matija Nastasic missed the trip to Cardiff as Pellegrini gave Javi Garcia a starting role at centre-half alongside Joleon Lescott and Yaya Toure.
The hosts got off well , pressing high up the pitch and generally surfing a wave of adrenaline.
City’s first purposeful attack came in the 22nd minute when David Silva and Sergio Aguero combined to create confussion in the six yard box before the home defense cleared the line.
Towards the end of the first period, Campbell latched on to Garcia’s backwards header but goalkeeper, Joe Hart, raced off his line to make an excellent save.
City opened scoring seven minutes after the break as Bosnian forward Dzeko let fly a fierce shot that nicked off a defender and zipped past a diving David Marshal after a pass from Sergio Aguero.
Cardiff equalised within seven minutes as Gunnarsson reacted first to a fine Hart save and struck from six yards.
Campbell was later allowed by Pablo Zabaleta, who stood still after Peter Whittingham delivered a corner from the right, a free header to put the Bluebirds ahead.
Campbell added his second four minutes from time, heading home following a corner with the visiting defence once more flat-footed.
Although, Negredo pulled one back with a quality header during the six minutes regulation time, the visitors couldn’t get an equaliser as Cardiff became the second newly-promoted team after Hull to secure victory in the Premier League season.
