Championship newcomers Cardiff City take on League Two Swindon Town in the first round of the EFL Cup on Saturday afternoon.
The Bluebirds were promoted after finishing second in League One last season and will be aiming for a victory to take some confidence into the new Championship campaign.
Ian Holloway’s Robins are underdogs going into the game but know a shock win could be a springboard for a successful season in League Two.
Cardiff City v Swindon Town Tips Summary
Best bet - Cardiff City to win and BTTS @ 15/8
Alternative bet - Over 2.5 goals @ 8/15
Bet builder - Both teams to score, Yousef Salech anytime goalscorer & over 9 corners @ 4/1
Cardiff City v Swindon Town Prediction
Best Bet: Cardiff City to win and BTTS @ 15/8
Cardiff fans could be forgiven for being worried about the upcoming campaign when the Bluebirds were thrashed 6-0 by Danish side Midtjylland in their first pre-season match.
However, since that defeat, Brian Barry-Murphy’s men have responded in ruthless fashion, scoring 15 goals in three matches.
Winning the next match 6-1 against Cork, Cardiff then beat Forest Green Rovers 5-1 before an incredible 4-1 victory over Serie A giants Roma.
By that reckoning, the Bluebirds can justify their tags as favourites to win and advance to the second round.
The Robins have lost against Championship and Premier League opposition this summer, suffering friendly defeats against Bristol City and Crystal Palace, and so Cardiff should have enough quality to earn a home victory.
Swindon can get on the scoresheet though, having done so in each of their last four games which includes a 4-1 success at Forest Green, while Cardiff have not kept a clean sheet in their last six, despite an impressive recent winning run.
Alternative Bet: Over 2.5 goals @ 8/15
Cardiff’s extraordinary scoring form in the last three pre-season friendlies, together with the fact they conceded six times in one game, suggests that there will be goals on Saturday.
Taking on inferior opposition two leagues below and having home advantage, the Bluebirds should create plenty of goalscoring opportunities in front of their own fans on Saturday.
Swindon have scored in each of their last four matches. Getting on the scoresheet against Bristol City and Crystal Palace, they also hit four past Forest Green Rovers, who Cardiff beat 5-1, last Saturday.
While the Robins are unfancied to beat Cardiff, chances will come their way and they can help boost the goal tally.
Odds of 5/4 for over 3.5 goals is certainly tempting but the safer play is for the game to have at least three.
Cardiff City v Swindon Town Bet Builder Tip
- Both teams to score
- Yousef Salech anytime goalscorer
- Over 9 corners
Pays @ 4/1
Cardiff will be confident of hitting the back of the net against Swindon but also look likely to concede.
Despite a turnaround since letting in six against Midtjylland, the Bluebirds have still not kept a clean sheet, letting in a goal against Cork City, Forest Green Rovers and Roma in one-sided victories.
While Cardiff won’t face Paulo Dybala on Saturday, it seems the defence could still be got at by Swindon based on recent results, with the Robins having scored in each of their last six games, which includes a four-goal salvo last time out.
Yousef Salech scored 14 goals in 34 games to help the Bluebirds earn promotion last season. The Danish forward also netted against Roma and looks set to play a leading role against the Robins.
Cardiff averaged more than 10 corners per game in League One while Swindon hit an average of 11 per match in League Two and sthe pair can combine for double-digits on Saturday.
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Key Match Stats
- Cardiff were the top scorers in League One last season, netting 90 goals in 46 games.
- Swindon won just one of their final seven matches as they missed out on the League Two play-offs.
- The Robins also faced Cardiff in the first round of last season's EFL Cup and lost 2-1.
- The Bluebirds reached the quarter-finals of the EFL Cup last season, losing to Chelsea.
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This article was written by a partner sports writer via Spotlight Sports Group. All odds displayed on this page were correct at the time of writing and are subject to withdrawal or change at any time.
