Derby County 2-2 Cardiff City: Match Report, Goals, Stats and Ratings
Championship Matchday 2 · Saturday 22 August 2026 · Pride Park Stadium, Derby · referee R. Ricardo · full time
Full time: Derby County 2-2 Cardiff City
Derby County and Cardiff City drew 2-2 in Championship Matchday 2 on Saturday 22 August 2026 at Pride Park Stadium. The goals: Cian Ashford 19', Carlton Morris 26', Yousef Salech 39', Bobby Clark 49'.
How the match unfolded
Cian Ashford put Cardiff City ahead in the 19th minute, set up by Ronan Kpakio. Derby County levelled at 1-1 in the 26th minute through Carlton Morris, set up by Bobby Clark. Yousef Salech made it 1-2 to Cardiff City in the 39th minute, set up by Rubin Colwill. Derby County levelled at 2-2 in the 49th minute through Bobby Clark.
It was 1-2 at half-time, and the second half changed the result.
The referee, R. Ricardo, showed 6 yellow cards: 5 to Derby County and 1 to Cardiff City.
Derby County: J. Eustace, 4-2-3-1 · Cardiff City: B. Barry-Murphy, 4-1-4-1.
Moneyball's prediction against the result
Moneyball did not publish a pre-match estimate for this match, so there is nothing to mark it against.
Why it went this way
On the day the expected goals were 2.88 for Derby County and 1.89 for Cardiff City.
Derby County created the better chances, 2.88 xG to 1.89, and still did not win. On chances alone, the result could easily have gone the other way.
Derby County had 7 shots on target, Cardiff City 7.
Cardiff City had 64% of the ball.
Where the two sides stood before this match
Derby County came into it with 12 Championship matches played, scoring 0.8 and conceding 1.8 a match, with 1.11 expected goals for and 1.97 against, and had won 8% of their matches.
Cardiff City came into it with 12 Championship matches played, scoring 1.6 and conceding 1.4 a match, with 2.04 expected goals for and 1.54 against, and had won 25% of their matches.
Derby County vs Cardiff City: the match in numbers
| Derby County | Match statistics | Cardiff City |
|---|---|---|
| 36% | Ball possession | 64% |
| 2.88 | Expected goals (xG) | 1.89 |
| 15 | Total shots | 16 |
| 7 | Shots on target | 7 |
| 3 | Big chances | 4 |
| 283 | Total passes | 528 |
| 78% | Pass accuracy | 85% |
| 7 | Corners | 7 |
| 12 | Fouls | 10 |
| 5 | Offsides | 0 |
| 13 | Tackles | 19 |
| 4 | Saves | 4 |
| 5 | Yellow cards | 1 |
Team statistics from Sportmonks.
Player ratings and man of the match
Man of the match: Bobby Clark (Derby County), rated 8.4 by Sportmonks, with 1 goal, 1 assist.
Derby County
- Bobby Clark 8.4 1 goal, 1 assist
- Carlton Morris 7.3 1 goal
- Charlie Taylor 7.3
- Jacob Widell Zetterström 7.1
- Alex Mowatt 7.0
Cardiff City
- Joel Bagan 7.8
- Rubin Colwill 7.3 1 assist
- Chris Willock 7.1
- Alex Robertson 7.1
- Cian Ashford 7.1 1 goal
The lowest-rated starter was Oscar Fraulo at 6.2. Ratings run from 0 to 10; around 7.0 is a solid match.
What comes next
- Derby County: Millwall vs Derby County Saturday 31 October 2026 · Championship
- Cardiff City: Wolverhampton Wanderers vs Cardiff City Saturday 31 October 2026 · Championship
Each preview has Moneyball's estimate for the next match, published before kick-off and marked against the result afterwards, as this one is.
Questions about Derby County vs Cardiff City
What was the score in Derby County vs Cardiff City?
Derby County 2-2 Cardiff City (half-time 1-2), Championship, Saturday 22 August 2026.
Who scored in Derby County vs Cardiff City?
Cian Ashford 19', Carlton Morris 26', Yousef Salech 39', Bobby Clark 49'.
Did Moneyball predict Derby County vs Cardiff City correctly?
Moneyball did not publish a pre-match estimate for this match, so there is nothing to mark it against.
Who was man of the match in Derby County vs Cardiff City?
Bobby Clark, rated 8.4 by Sportmonks.
Who refereed Derby County vs Cardiff City?
R. Ricardo.
Every match, before and after
Moneyball Odds writes a preview with its estimate before every match of Europe's top five leagues and the European cups, then marks it against the result, hits and misses alike.
Moneyball Odds is a statistical analysis site, not a bookmaker. No model predicts football reliably. For readers aged 18 and over.