Sky Blues trail the Bluebirds after Giudo Burgstaller gives the visitors a third minute advantage in the Capital One Cup first round
Coventry City head into the break a goal down to Cardiff City in their first round Capital One Cup clash at Sixfields after Guido Burgstaller's third minute opener for the visitors.
Sky Blues boss Steven Pressley named four changes to his side for the cup clash with the Bluebirds, bringing in goalkeeper Lee Burge, defender Jack Finch and midfielders John Fleck and Billy Daniels in place of Ryan Alllsop, Conor Thomas and the injured Reda Johnson and Marcus Tudgay.
It was not the best start for City who found themselves behind after just three minutes courtesy of a fortunate opener from Burgstaller. Not fortunate in the finsih but in the way the ball fell at his feet as it cannoned around the Sky Blues area, the Austrian swept home a finish across the body of Burge to put the Bluebirds in front.
The goal though was a flashpoint in a relatively settled first 25 minutes, the midfield battle only really broken apart when Aron Gunnarsson played a short ball into Declan John in the City.
John fired at the inside of the near post but was denied by a strong-wristed save by Burge who parried the ball behind.
Teams
Coventry City: Burge, Willis, Pugh, Webster (c), Clarke, Finch, O'Brien, Swanson, Fleck, Daniels, McQuoid
Subs: Allsop (GK), G Thomas, Miller,Phillips, Haynes, Lawton, Maddison
Cardiff City: Moore, John, Bo-Kyung, Eikram, Connolly, Gunnarsson (c), Ralls, Maynard, Theophile, Burgstaller, Barnum-Bobb
Subs: Daehli, Velikonja, Harris, Wilson, James, O'Sullivan, Owen