Mohamed Belloumi masterclass inspires Hull City to big birthday victory over Cardiff City

Mohamed Belloumi celebrates with Lewie Coyle and Marvin Mehlem
-Credit: (Image: Hull City AFC)


An eye-catching display from Mohamed Belloumi ensured Hull City capped a memorable occasion with a fine 4-1 comeback win against bottom-side Cardiff City.

As they did a week ago at Stoke City, the Tigers found themselves a goal down but roared back with Belloumi's brilliant brace and one in the second half from Oscar Zambrano, to earn Tim Walter back-to-back wins and a first home success as City boss on a day the club celebrated its 120th birthday.

The afternoon got off to a poor start when the Callum Robinson galloped into acres of space before firing beyond Ivor Pandur after just 18 minutes. But to their credit, Walter's men recovered to lead 2-1 at the break after a delightful double from Belloumi.

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His first was a cross-turned-shot from the right flank, angling into the far corner beyond goalkeeper Jak Alnwick. And if there was doubt about whether or not he meant the first, there was none regarding a beautiful second.

Racing onto a fine through ball from Marvin Mehlem, the Algerian evaded a challenge before clipping a delicious chip over Alnwick and into the back of the net.

Oscar Zambrano's deflected effort at the start of the second period made it 3-1 to the Tigers, who surged towards their first home win since April and just a third so far in 2024. It was also their seventh straight victory over the managerless Bluebirds. They added a fourth in the last minute from the penalty spot when Chris Bedia opened his account for City following a foul on substitute Abu Kamara.

Perhaps surprisingly, Walter resisted the temptation to start Liam Millar after his terrific showing off the bench at Stoke, but there was a recall for Regan Slater in just one change with Kasey Palmer not fit enough to start, but was on the bench. After leaving the action early last week, Abdus Omur and Oscar Zambrano were both fit to start, but there was no place in the squad for new signing Joao Pedro as he works on his fitness.

On their big day, the hosts fashioned an opening inside a minute when Mehlem fed Slater who could advance forwards, and he fed Belloumi on the overlap, but his cross was cleared, and from then on, it was the visitors who created the better of it.

Anwar El Ghazi twice glanced headers wide of Ivor Pandur's left and right posts with Callum O'Dowda also powering a header over the bar, all of which came inside the opening 10 minutes.

The contest burst into life 18 minutes in when Callum Robinson skipped away after City were again caught upfield and slammed into the roof of the net to give his side the lead, and net just their second goal of the season.

Robinson's run had a fairly big hint of offside about it, but even then, City's marking was non-existent, and his finish emphatic.

Any hope Cardiff had of settling and building on that lead were dashed within four minutes, and before the home crowd could really level their frustration at a poor start, when Belloumi angled in a fierce cross from the right flank which fizzed into the far corner and past Jak Alnwick before he could do anything.

The Tigers were back on terms within a few short minutes but the visitors recovered and looked to break once again, McLoughlin caught O'Dowda outside the box, and joined Will Fish in the book.

Out of nothing, City hit the front when Mehlem's crisp pass into the path of Belloumi who executed a sumptuous chip over the on-rushing Alnwick and into the back of the net 10 minutes later, to see the Tigers come from behind to lead.

Fish, who caught Belloumi in the build-up to the goal, was replaced by Andrew Rinomhota having been unable to continue.

Brilliant work from Bedia to shrug off a challenge on the edge of the box saw him work an opening, but his shot heading for the top corner was brilliantly turned away by Alnwick.

After a couple of nervy moments at the start of the second half, City went 3-1 up after a spell of pressure saw Zambrano's effort take a rather helpful deflection to wrongfoot Alnwick and divert into the far corner.

It was almost four moments later when Belloumi overpowered Collins, before racing away and angling a delicious effort heading for the top corner until Alnwick tipped over at full stretch, and that was his last action, replaced by Liam Millar just before the hour.

That change came moments after Pandur had got down low to divert a goalbound Robinson effort away from goal.

The Bluebirds made a double change a couple of moments later with Ollie Tanner and Chris Willock coming on for Jamilu Collins and Robinson, and those changes gave them fresh impetus. El Ghazi forced a fine save from Pandur, as City became really sloppy.

Walter made a triple change with 20 minutes left with Slater, Omur and Zambrano replaced by Kasey Palmer, Abu Kamara and Xavier Simons, while David Turnbull and Wilfried Kanga replaced O'Dowda and El Ghazi for the visitors.

Both Mehlem and Perry NG picked up cards from the referee before Millar crashed a shot at goal which Alnwick diverted over the top. Tigers fans got their first look at Steven Alzate with eight minutes left when he replaced Mehlem.

There was still time at the end for Chris Bedia to get a goal his performance deserved, rattling in a penalty after Kamara was fouled to put the icing on the top of the Tigers' birthday cake.

Given their problems, and the expectation on City after last week's win at Stoke, coupled with the birthday celebrations, this was a job well done and perfect preparation for tough away trips to QPR and Norwich City over the next few days.

City: Pandur, Drameh, McLoughlin, Jones, Coyle (c), Mehlem, Slater, Zambrano, Omur, Belloumi, Bedia. Subs: Rushworth, Giles, Millar, Burns, Simons, Alzate, Kamara, Palmer, Burstow.

Cardiff City: Alnwick, NG, Chambers, Fish, Collins, Robertson, Ralls (c), Colwill, O'Dowda, El Ghazi, Robinson. Subs: Horvath, Davies, Giles, Rinomhota, Turnbull, Tanner, Ashford, Willock, Kanga.

Referee: Leigh Doughty

Attendance: 22,665