Cardiff saw off Roma 4-1 in a Club Friendly on 1 August, turning what could have been a routine pre-season fixture into a statement of intent. The hosts took control early and never looked back, while Roma's visitors found their efforts repeatedly frustrated by a combination of Cardiff's organisation and their own finishing problems.
It got off to a frantic start for the home side. C. Ashford opened the scoring in the third minute, catching Roma off-guard before their shape was fully set. Cardiff pressed that advantage, and Y. Salech doubled the lead just before half-time with a goal in the 30th minute. Ashford added a third in the 39th minute, and by then Roma's confidence was already taking a hit. A penalty for the visitors in the 35th minute fell to P. Dybala, who missed — and Cardiff went into the break with a comfortable cushion.
The second half brought little change to the pattern. Roma made three substitutions at the break — N. Trott, G. Mancini, and others — hoping to shift momentum. Dybala got his goal back in the 58th minute, but Cardiff responded through O. Tanner in the 64th minute. Two yellow cards for Roma's M. Soule and E. Ndicka hinted at growing frustration, while Cardiff's substitutions brought fresh legs without losing control of the game. C. Ashford came off in the 73rd minute after his hat-trick, having already done enough to settle the result.
The statistics tell the story Cardiff wrote on the pitch. They had less possession — 47 per cent against Roma's 53 — but their efficiency was stark. Cardiff registered seven shots on target for four goals, while Roma managed only six shots on target for one. The expected goals figures show the gulf: Cardiff 1.44, Roma 2.14. The visitors moved the ball more, with 412 total passes to Cardiff's 361, but they lacked the decisive edge. Cardiff created three big chances and took two of them; Roma created four and converted one.
What this match underlined was Cardiff's appetite for results in pre-season. Their recent run — five wins and a draw in their last six friendlies, including heavy victories over Forest Green and Cork City — suggests a side building momentum. Roma, meanwhile, have been steady: two wins and a draw in their last three competitive outings, but this friendly offered little to build on. The scoreline was fair. Cardiff were sharper, Roma were not.