Beaming Erol Bulut says Ike Ugbo can be ‘key man’ for Cardiff City after his first goal in three months sealed dramatic win
The forward headed home Cardiff’s second in the 99th minute
Erol Bulut said Ike Ugbo grabbed his chance with both hands and can be a key man for Cardiff City after he ended his three-month goal drought with a 99th-minute winner against Preston North End.
Ugbo began the season as Cardiff’s No.1 striker, ahead of Kion Etete and while Yakou Meite was suffering with an injury. The Troyes loanee scored three times in his first five Championship appearances for the Bluebirds, but then seemingly went off the boil a little.
Now, it looks as though Meite has usurped him in the pecking order. But Bulut praised Ugbo for his work on the training ground and scoring what was a quintessential striker’s goal to earn Cardiff the three points in dramatic fashion in Lancashire. It was his first league goals since August 26, almost exactly three months ago.
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“Ike hasn’t played now for a few games, but in training he is always there and he shows that he can be the key player for us,” Bulut said of the 25-year-old.
“Because in the box he is really good. And it’s a striker’s chance that fell for him and it was a great header.”
Cardiff were on the receiving end of a late comeback before the international break, conceding two late goals to lose 3-2 to Norwich City. After that match, Bulut bemoaned the substitutes who came on, saying they did not help the team’s cause.
After the win up at Preston, though, which saw substitutes Ryan Wintle and Ugbo combine for the winner, he was effusive in his praise.
“Whoever knows me well, knows I am a person who never gives up until the end,” he said. “Football is like that. Two weeks ago, against Norwich, nobody expected them to come from 2-1 back to win 3-2. We made the changes and it didn’t help us two weeks ago, but today, they changed the game.
“But we believe in it. This is very important. We showed our character on the field to not give up and to get the three points.
“Today, the substitutes helped a lot. We created a lot more chances with Ollie Tanner, with Rubin, with Ike and Wintle. We kept the ball, circulated it really well and was waiting for that chance to score the first and then the second in the 99th minute.
“Also, we didn’t allow the opponent chances. That goal was from our mistake and a counter attack. Preston are a good counter-attacking side and scored. They started the season great, with six wins, they won their last two games and are a really strong team at home. But today we didn’t allow them chances.
“I think all of my players today tried really hard to get this win, so I cannot pick out individual players now. Because football is team work and today my team showed team work.”
