| Crystal Palace | 1-0 | Cardiff City |
| (1-0) | ||
| Gardner 43 | ||
Crystal Palace hold a one goal advantage – and have no away goals to worry about – heading into the second leg of their FA Carling Cup 2011/12 Semi-Final with Cardiff City after producing a 1-0 home victory at Selhurst Park on the evening of Tuesday 10th January 2012.
Palace secured their win thanks to a 43rd minute headed goal from 30 year old former Tottenham Hotspur defender Anthony Gardner, though they perhaps rode their luck a little as Cardiff, pressing for an important away goal, had the ball in the net from Miller in the second half, only to see play go back for an earlier foul.
Cardiff will be disappointed not to have scored at least once, however, as they had the majority of possession, and as many shots as their hosts, but, on the night, Palace were good enough to shut them out.
The second leg, which takes place in Cardiff on Tuesday 24th January 2012, will determine which of these two sides from the English Championship – the second tier of English football – will face either Manchester City or Liverpool, who face-off in their first leg tonight, in the Wembley Final.
If Crystal Palace can get one away goal in Cardiff, that will mean the Bluebirds will have to score three to progress: their failure to score at Selhurst Park may yet give them an uphill task in this two-legged tie.
For now, it is advantage Palace.
