By Gareth James

Cardiff City manager Omer Riza was critical of his team for their sloppy start in the 3-2 defeat to relegation rivals Oxford United.

“You can’t afford to make the mistakes that we made or not show the urgency to shut down that we needed to,” said Riza.

“There were key errors in key areas – for the first goal losing the ball and not tracking runners. It was disappointing to give a goal away like that when before that there was really nothing in the game.

“Then the second goal was from a corner, which was disappointing, and their third one he had too much time and space to step in – you need to get close to stop shots.

“We were 3-0 down before you know it.

“Towards the end we scored two goals from the changes in the personnel, but it’s all too late.

“There’s 60 points to play for, still a long way in the season to go and we look to the next game now against Watford where we need to win.

“We need a win, a win can change everything, but we’re finding it hard to get at the moment. It’s back to the drawing board.”

It is all going wrong for Cardiff!

Former players Mark Harris and Ciaron Brown have both scored, as well as former Swansea winger Przemyslaw Placheta!

Oxford United 3-0 Cardiff City ⚽

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— BBC Sport Wales (@BBCSportWales) December 26, 2024

Oxford’s new manager Gary Rowett enthused over Przemyslaw Placheta’s brilliant third goal in the 3-2 win over Cardiff which gave him a winning start.

Mark Harris put United ahead towards the end of the first half, centre-half Ciaran Brown added a second from a corner eight minutes after the restart and winger Placheta effectively sealed the three points with a superb strike into the top corner from 25 yards just four minutes later.

Substitutes Cian Ashford and Callum Robinson grabbed two late consolation goals for Cardiff, but they had left it far too late.

Rowett said: “Przemy’s is a wonderful strike, a goal worthy of winning any game.

“To get into a 3-0 position is terrific and of course what you don’t then want to do it is allow the opposition to get back into it.

“But the main thing I take away from the game is winning the game, that’s the most important thing. When you’re in this position you want to find different ways to win the game.”

Rowett, who has taken over at the Kassam Stadium from the sacked Des Buckingham, added: “In the first game you’re looking for little bits, you’re never going to have the complete performance – little bits of energy, little bits of a spark or things you can build on or positives and there were quite a few positives.

“Cardiff gave us quite a bit of a challenge at times and moved us around at times.

“Once we settled down, I thought we moved the ball well at times and scored the goals at good times.

“The one just before half time – I’m really, really pleased for Mark Harris, he does a lot of work for a number nine.

“I’ve seen him do so much tireless work in games, you just want to nick a goal to make all that work worthwhile and he certainly did. It was good play from Przemy, he was bright today.

“Then second half you want them to build on that and we scored two very good goals, one a set-piece and then Przemy’s wonderful goal.

“It’s always nice to get that first win.”

Omer Riza has described Cardiff City’s meeting with fellow strugglers Oxford United as a game his side “need to win”.

Oxford United v Cardiff City ⚽

⏰ KO 1500

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— BBC Sport Wales (@BBCSportWales) December 26, 2024

New Oxford manager Gary Rowett enjoyed a winning start to his reign with a 3-2 victory over fellow Championship strugglers Cardiff.

Former Cardiff academy forward Mark Harris, centre-half Ciaran Brown and winger Przemyslaw Placheta scored Oxford’s goals at the Kassam Stadium as they raced into a three-goal lead on their way to registering a first victory in eight games.

Substitutes Cian Ashford and Callum Robinson grabbed two late consolation goals for the Bluebirds, whose winless run extended to nine matches.

Rowett, who replaced the sacked Des Buckingham, had watched United’s previous game, a 4-0 defeat at Leeds, from the stands and he made two changes to the starting line-up from that match.

Sam Long returned at right-back, with Ruben Rodriguez replacing Owen Dale on the wing.

Oxford had won their previous three league games on Boxing Day, but for Cardiff this has not been a particularly special time of year – they were winless in their last 10 Boxing Day fixtures.

The hosts began positively, with Placheta heavily involved on the right of midfield, but it was the Bluebirds who went closest to opening the scoring in the opening exchanges.

Chris Willcock’s right-footed shot from the edge of the box deflected off a defender and looped over goalkeeper Jamie Cumming but came back off the bar, with Cumming saving Yakou Meite’s follow-up effort at his near post.

A superb flicked pass by Tyler Goodrham gave Harris a difficult shooting opportunity 20 yards out, and it was not one of Harris’ best, the effort going out for a throw-in.

The contest remained scrappy until City created an opportunity out of nothing when Rubin Colwill crossed from the right and former Oxford winger Callum O’Dowda headed across the goal.

But the opening goal came at the other end as Wales international Harris converted Placheta’s low square pass from five yards out in the 41st minute for his first goal since August.

Brown’s emphatic downward header from Goodrham’s corner eight minutes into the second half doubled the lead.

Four minutes later Polish striker Placheta struck indisputably the game’s best goal, cutting in from the right before hitting a brilliant left-footed drive into the top corner, with keeper Jak Alnwick helpless to stop it.

Ashford pulled one back eight minutes from time and Robinson lashed high into the net in a crowded goalmouth in the fourth minute of stoppage time to make the game look closer than it had been.