Victor Torp’s dramatic late penalty salvaged a 2-2 draw for Frank Lampard in his first game as Coventry City manager against Cardiff City at the CBS Arena.
Yakou Meite gave Cardiff the lead just four minutes in, heading home Alex Robertson’s corner, but Coventry responded almost immediately. Ephron Mason-Clark volleyed in Tatsuhiro Sakamoto’s precise pass to equalize in the seventh minute, marking an electrifying start to Lampard’s tenure.
The visitors regained the lead early in the second half when Robertson unleashed a stunning 25-yard drive that swerved past Brad Collins. Coventry struggled to create clear opportunities as Cardiff sought to close out a much-needed victory.
However, with just two minutes remaining, controversy struck. Referee James Bell penalized Cardiff’s Calum Chambers for handball after initially waving play on. Amid Cardiff’s furious protests—resulting in bookings for Robertson and goalkeeper Jak Alnwick—Torp coolly converted from the spot, earning Coventry a vital point.
The draw extends both teams’ winless streaks to five games. Coventry move up to 16th in the Championship table, while Cardiff remain 20th.
Lampard’s Reaction
Speaking to BBC CWR, Lampard acknowledged the mixed performance:
“Some good, some not so good. It’s to be expected after just two days of work. The character to fight back and earn a point was positive. We take it and move on.”
Cardiff’s Frustration
Interim boss Omer Riza criticized the penalty decision:
“I don’t think it was a penalty. We should have won 2-1. It’s a frustrating result after a solid performance in patches.”
Both teams now look to end their winless runs in upcoming fixtures.
