Here are your Cardiff City headlines for Friday, March 17.
Robinson might struggle to make Swansea tie
Callum Robinson might not be back in time to face Swansea City after the international break.
The forward, who is Cardiff's top scorer this season, was injured in the final minutes of the clash against Reading last month and it was initially said he would be out until after the international break.
The Bluebirds face Rotherham this weekend before a fortnight's break ahead of the South Wales derby. However, it appears Robinson, who was sent off in the reverse fixture earlier this season, could be a doubt for that match.
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Asked if Robinson was on schedule to return against the Swans, Lamouchi said: "We hope so. It'll be tough for Swansea.
"He won't be available before the international break so we will have a point during the international break with Callum where we will see what we can do with him."
Connor Wickham has missed the last two matches, however Lamouchi hopes the striker can get through today's training session unscathed and travel with the squad to Yorkshire.
"He will train today with us," the manager said of Wickham. "So, after the session, I'd be able to tell you if he's available or not. But he's available for training today.
"So, if he doesn't feel anything he will travel with us to Rotherham."
O'Dowda comes in for more praise
Sabri Lamouchi praised Callum O'Dowda's professionalism for the manner in which he has transitioned to left-back in order to help out the team.
O'Dowda was signed as a winger but has found himself at left-back due to the injury to Jamilu Collins and Niels Nkounkou being recalled by Everton.
Republic of Ireland boss Stephen Kenny yesterday said he thought O'Dowda had been City's best player this term - and he selected him in the squad ahead of Swansea City's Ryan Manning and Preston North End's Robbie Brady - and Lamouchi also had positive words to say about the left-sided player.
"Obviously it's a little bit different for me, because he is one of the players I knew before signing for Cardiff. I played against him with a different team," Lamouchi said of O'Dowda.
"I knew him in a different position and he showed me in Cardiff that at as a left-back he can play and help the team.
"He's very professional. A very smart and clever guy. He is doing very well and I'm very happy for the club and for me to work with him."
Bagan scores peach in U21s win over Ipswich
A beautiful free-kick from Joel Bagan was the highlight of Cardiff City under-21s' 4-2 win over Ipswich Town as Cian Ashford also chipped in with a late doubt to earn the three points in the Professional Development League 2 clash this afternoon.
Bagan had clearly been taking advice from Perry Ng in training when the full-back stepped up to whip his free-kick into the top corner early in the first half. A lovely, bending effort which kissed the underside of the crossbar before crossing the line, perhaps just a little reminder of his talents to the first-team coaches.
Then, just a minute or so later, the in-form Cameron Antwi got in the act. He latched on to a pass on the edge of the area from Joel Colwill before rifling a low shot off the post and into the bottom corner to double the lead. Antwi is another who must now be catching the eye of Lamouchi, Sol Bamba and Co given his impressive run of form of late.
It was encouraging to see Oliver Denham back in the starting line-up, too, having been absent for a number of months owing to injury. But his work was doubled when fellow defender Aidan MacNamara was sent off for a foul as the last man. Then the visitors then clawed their way back into proceedings.
Tawanda Chirewa pulled one back for the visitors in the second half at Leckwith, notching just on the hour-mark to make it a nervy last 30 minutes or so for Darren Purse's side. It was a poor goal to concede, all things considered, with Chirewa tapping home after City failed to deal with a corner correctly.
They thought they had given themselves some breathing room when Bagan, who had an excellent game, found substitute Cian Ashford in the middle of the box. The forward's volley was saved before he forced through the follow-up to earn City a two-goal buffer.
But the set piece was their undoing again, just a minute later, as Osmon Foyo leapt highest and headed home from yet another corner with just over 10 minutes left to play.
Cardiff, though, would have the last laugh as Lennon Peake intercepted an errant Ipswich pass before releasing Ashford, who coolly slotted past the goalkeeper for his second of the match to make sure of the three points.
The precious win means Purse's side move up past Reading and into third position in the table.
Millers boss: Cardiff the biggest game of the season
Rotherham boss Matt Taylor has labelled tomorrow's clash with the Bluebirds "the most important game of the season".
Cardiff take on the Millers in a relegation six-pointer, with the Bluebirds able to take over their opponents in the league table if they win.
With just nine more games left to play, each one is precious, but playing teams in and around the relegation zone gives that added incentive.
Taylor said of the clash: “It's the most important one of the season so far, and it's against a team that's in around us in the league and we're on the back of a couple of defeats.
“We want to put that right with a good performance and some more points to return. It will be difficult, but we will have to perform well, something will be aiming to do. It does feel like a big moment for ourselves.
“The psychology of football is another art and something which we've discussed at absolute length. We're looking forward to the game and like I said, because we're at home we feel more comfortable about where we are.
“We'll need our fans. The fans don't realise how much we need them, it's incredible and we'll need them to come with the energy that we need to match on the pitch. Hopefully it becomes an atmosphere which makes it uncomfortable for opposition."
Score prediction
Sky Sports pundit and former midfielder David Prutton believes there is not enough to separate Cardiff and Rotherham and has opted for a draw in his weekly predictions.
The Millers are coming off the back of two defeats, while Cardiff scrapped back to earn a draw against West Brom in midweek.
"It hasn’t been a good week for Rotherham. Two defeats on the bounce has sent them back towards the bottom three, and this is a massive game," Prutton said in his Sky Sports column.
"Cardiff could jump above them with victory, and will be feeling somewhat confident after battling back to take a point off of West Brom in midweek. Another score draw for them here for me.
"Prediction: 1-1."
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