Cardiff boss Omer Riza settles for a point after controversial penalty award

Cardiff interim boss Omer Riza saw his side have to settle for a draw after leading the game up until the final minute, when his side were harshly penalised for what was adjudged to be handball by Bluebirds’ defender Callum Chambers.

The referee had appeared to wave play on, before then awarding a penalty – the decision being disputed by incensed Cardiff players.

Despite the controversial penalty, Cardiff interim boss Omer Riza, said he wouldn’t be discussing it.

All he would say is: “Personally, I don’t think it was a penalty. I’ve looked at it back, that’s my opinion.

“I’m not willing to really discuss the decision in respect to the referees, they’ve made their decision and I have to respect it.

“I don’t look at the occasion in respect to whether Frank (Lampard) has got the job or whether their fans are going to be up for it or their players are going to have a bounce.

“I think they all knew about that anyway without me telling them – they’re experienced players a lot of them – and for us it was about us doing our job and trying to get back on track, and I think we managed that quite well today.

“The first half was difficult, the second half I think we earned a lead and we could have come away with a win, but we got the point and I think we have to be semi-happy with that.”

Coventry head coach Frank Lampard admits he has plenty to work on after his first match in charge ended with a draw against fellow Championship strugglers Cardiff.

It looked for most of the second half as though Lampard was going to have to pick the bones out of a defeat in what was his first match in a dugout for 18 months.

The Sky Blues fell behind twice and although they responded rapidly the first time, they struggled to find a way through once Alex Robertson had put Cardiff ahead again.

However, Victor Torp came to the hosts’ rescue with a late penalty that gave Lampard his first point and denied the Bluebirds their first away win since April.

Lampard said: “There are some basics in football that have to be there, particularly in this Championship and the nature of it, which is first balls, second balls, fight, sprints and reactions.

“I think being tougher is something as a group we can be – that’s not to say the lads aren’t tough – in terms of our performance at the minute it’s slightly off, I felt today, so there’s lots to take on and work on.

“(I was) clearly disappointed in the set-piece, to get a free header and to score, but it can happen. It’s not nice but it can happen.

“And then the second goal I was probably more disappointed to allow a shot and not get out to the shot and not block the shot at full pelt, full-bodied.

“But I don’t want to be bordering on the side of negative because I’m pleased that we’ve got our point. I know what this league’s like.”

Cardiff led after only four minutes when Robertson’s corner was headed in by Yakou Meite for his first goal of the season.

It took just three minutes for Coventry to hit back as Ephron Mason-Clark’s controlled volley from Tatsuhiro Sakamoto’s chipped pass brought him his first goal for the Sky Blues.

Robertson looked to be sending the Bluebirds towards victory when he arrowed in a superb low drive from outside the box two minutes into the second half.

But Torp rescued the hosts from the penalty spot in the 89th minute when Calum Chambers was adjudged by the linesman to have handled Ellis Simms’ cross inside his area.