Cardiff City won their first match of the 2025/26 League One season against Peterborough United thanks to a pair of stunning strikes from captain Rubin Colwill and Ronan Kpakio.

Brian Barry-Murphy’s side, which had an average age of just over 22 and a debut in goal for Matt Turner, started much the brighter on Saturday, creating several chance through bright play from Rubin and Joel Colwill in the advanced midfield positions.

However, Peterborough were the ones to take the lead just after the half hour mark via a Bradley Ihionvien’s penalty.

The young Bluebirds could have faded, but showed great resolve after the break.

Colwill’s goal – a wonderful dipping free kick from all of 25 yards – sparked pandemonium in the stands and wild celebrations on the pitch. With the position of the ball wider than is usual for a freekick aimed at the goal, only two Posh players formed a wall.

The newly-appointed Cardiff vice-captain, promoted to skipper at the first time of asking due to the absence of Calum Chambers, saw an opportunity and took it with aplomb.

It was the type of goal that can ignite not only a match, but a season for both player and club.

Hardly ten minutes went by before Cardiff had taken the lead.

On the hour mark, teenage fullback Ronan Kpakio was found on the edge of the Peterborough box by Ollie Tanner and swept the ball into the roof of the net via the underside of the bar.

Queue an euphoric eruption from the Cardiff fans, bigger even than for Colwill’s strike.

The only dampener to a perfect start for new head coach Barry-Murphy was that his side’s finishing did not match the standard of their overall play, with the forward line missing a number of chances to put the game beyond doubt.

Cardiff’s playing style was clear to see. A 4-1-4-1, with Tanner, the Colwills, and Cian Ashford hunted the ball out of possession behind the focal point of Yousef Salech up front.

Sweeping up behind was Ryan Wintle at the base of midfield, a veteran of the side at the age of 28.

In defence, they will benefit from the return of Calum Chambers, who is calm on the ball and a leader. Joel Bagan and Kpakio looked calm and assured at this level.

“It was a great day. I think not just personally but I think for everybody involved,” said Colwill.

“We all want to play exciting football, play attacking football, be on the front foot, win the ball back. We’re all buying into that.”

On wearing the armband, he added: “It was nice, it was a big responsibility.

“I thought through what I needed to do, what was required of me but yeah once you almost accept that responsibility I think it’s almost freeing to have that on your shoulders and to try and help everybody get through the game.

“I think that responsibility, maturity is something that comes naturally when you’re around it long enough. I’m probably one of the more experienced players in the squad now. So it almost comes naturally with time, experience, and I think it’s just something that I like to do.”

The whole match felt like a new era for Cardiff City, albeit with a number of off-field questions to be answered in the coming months.

Barry-Murphy picked the youngest Cardiff team for a league fixture this century, handing first starts to the likes of goalkeeper Matt Turner – chosen in front of senior players Jak Alnwick and Ethan Horvath – and midfielder Joel Colwill.

Both goals were scored by academy graduates, Colwill and Kpakio.

“To have some of the academy graduates is really beneficial because they feel the club in a way that’s different from what I do, based on where I come from, so it’s really powerful,” said Barry-Murphy.

“Matt Turner wasn’t complicated [as a selection]. I had an idea of certain players before I came to the club. I didn’t know a lot about Matt but, since day one pre-season, he’s been exceptional.

“His attitude, in terms of what we asked him to do, his commitment and his skill level as a goalkeeper has been outstanding. Just based on what I saw, he was the clear pick.

“Joel, we have a lot of competition in that position, but again, his appetite to do the things we’ve asked him to do and his relentless nature of application was evident.”

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