Westfields FC 4, Cardiff City u-18s 4

Cardiff won 7-6 in penalty shootout

Australian goalkeeper Jamie Cogman, a 16-year-old from the Gold Coast in Australia, helped Cardiff City win their first trophy of the season at Allpay Park, Hereford.

The Bluebirds won the Herefordshire FA Senior Invitation final against Hellenic Premier team Westfields after a penalty shootout.

Cogman was playing youth football for Brisbane City before he was brought to Wales by former Swansea City and Leeds United goalkeeper Glad Letheren, who runs Topcatchgk coaching.

Young Aussie Cogman played the full 90 minutes for Cardiff on his debut and saved a penalty during the penalty shootout.

Coach Matthew Bloxham’s under-18s hit back from 3-1 and 4-2 down to force extra time.

Westfields included former Wales international Ryan Green and gave Cardiff’s youth squad a tough workout in this pre-season fixture.

Congratulations, @ntazana12 – Man of the Match! 💙#CityAsOne pic.twitter.com/0oynT6q31Y

— Cardiff City Academy (@CF11Academy) July 27, 2019

Isaak Davies, Ntazana Mayembe, Harry Pinchard and Kieron Evans scored for the Bluebirds during the 90 minutes, forcing a penalty shootout when Evans was first to react a minute into injury time when a Rubin Colwill effort was only half cleared.

There was no extra time and the cup final was decided by penalties with Joel Bagan, Ryan Kavanagh, Colwill, Siyabonga Ligendza, Owen Pritchard, Sam Parsons and Taylor Jones scoring from the sport.

Jones fired the winner after the shootout went to sudden death.

Cardiff went into the match against Westfields having won 6-4 against Leicester City away and slipping up 2-1 against AFC Bournemouth at the Cardiff International Sports Campus.

Southampton will be the final test Cardiff City face ahead of the new Development League season at Staplewood Training Ground on Friday, August 2 (1pm).

Hosts Westfields celebrated their 50th anniversary in 2016. The club was formed after England defeated Germany in the 1966 World Cup final with their kit colours (claret and blue) chosen due to the founders’ admiration of former West Ham United players Bobby Moore, Martin Peters and Sir Geoff Hurst.

Keanu Cooper went close for Westfields after six minutes when he headed against the bar, while Davies fired City ahead after a superb run down the right on 14 minutes.

Cooper (21 mins), Aidan Thomas (25) and Daniel Stoneman (27) put Westfields in control, scoring three goals in six minutes, before man of the match Maybe netted Cardiff’s second (42).

Richard Greaves scored Westfields’ fourth goal just before the hour before Pinchard (75) and Evans (90+1) completed the 4-4 scoreline.

The issue was settled by penalties and Cardiff City lifted the trophy, winning the shootout 7-6.

Westfields FC: Harvey Rivers (Jaden Nepaul 52), Sam Gwynne (capt), Sam Rawlings, Sam Plain, Ryan Green, Matt Reeve, Daniel Stoneman (Craig Jones 60), Billy Murphy (Joe Bates 60), Richard Greaves (H Hancocks 65), Aidan Thomas (Ben Hayes 60), K Cooper. Sub not used: Ollie Butler. 

Cardiff City u-18: Starting XI: Jamie Cogman, Taylor Jones (Jack Masrani 59, then Taylor Jones 86), Sam Parsons, Joel Bagan, Harry Pinchard, Tom Chiabi, Ryan Kavanagh, Sam Bowen (Rubin Colwill 61), Ntazana Mayembe (Owen Pritchard 74), Kieron Evans, Isaak Davies (Siyabonga Ligendza 70). Subs not used: Ben Coley (gk), Rhys Schwank.

Champions! 🏆#CityAsOne pic.twitter.com/fAAvLipshk

— Cardiff City Academy (@CF11Academy) July 27, 2019

Cardiff City pure-season results for first team, under-23 and under-18:

Under-18: NK Radomjie 1, Cardiff City 3; Leicester City 4, Cardiff City 6; Cardiff City 1, AFC Bournemouth 2; Westfields FC 4, Cardiff City 4 (Bluebirds won 7-6 on penalties).

Under-23: Taffs Well 1, Cardiff City 5; Larkhall Athletic 1, Cardiff City 1; AFC Tavistock 0, Cardiff City 7; Bodmin Town 2, Cardiff City 3; Plymouth Parkway 1, Cardiff City 5; Trefelin BGC 0, Cardiff City 0.

First team: San Antonio 0, Cardiff City 1; New Mexico United 1, Cardiff City 1; Real Valladolid 1, Cardiff City 1 (Bluebirds won 4-2 on penalties); Cardiff City 1, OGC Nice 0.

Remaining pre-season fixtures for first team, under-23 and under-18:

First team:

None

Under-23:

July

Tuay 30: Haverfordwest County v Cardiff City at Bridge Meadow Stadium (7pm)

August

Friday 2: Cardiff City v KV Kortrijk u-21 at Cardiff International Sports Stadium (11am )

Tuesday 6: Penybont v Cardiff City at Kymco Stadium (7:30pm)

Under-18

August

Friday 2: Southampton v Cardiff City at Staplewood Training Ground (1pm)