“Newcastle was a fantastic performance and Cardiff was a fantastic victory.”
That was the post-match assessment of Carlos Carvalhal following the 1-0 win over the Bluebirds at Hillsborough.
Fernando Forestieri’s late winner saw Wednesday stay in their play-off slot and decide what up until then was a frustrating contest from the hosts’ perspective.
Carvalhal said: “This game was never going to be the same as Newcastle. This game was completely different because the opponent has different arguments.
“But we achieved the win and this was the most important thing.
“The players gave everything, they run and fight and were very patient to win this game.”
Carlos went on to praise the impact of his substitutes, including match-winner Forestieri, who settled matters with six minutes to go.
He said: “The three substitutes all helped us win the game.
“Jordan Rhodes took a very good shot, the goalkeeper made the save, and Fernando scored the goal.
“Also, Atdhe Nuhiu made a very important contribution, he played very well with the ball at his feet and with the ball in the air.
“But I was pleased with all the players today. They did the job, which was to win the game.”