A close-range header from central defender Anthony
Gardner shortly before halftime gave London club Palace a slender advantage for
the second leg in south Wales in two weeks.
The first league Cup semi-final not to feature a
top-flight club since 2000 was a lively contest and Cardiff, FA Cup runners-up
in 2008, will still feel confident of booking another trip to Wembley.
They enjoyed plenty of possession and created the better
chances, especially before the break most notably when Ben Turner's header
narrowly cleared the bar.
Kenny Miller should have scored for the visitors, roared
on by a large traveling contingent, but his low curled shot crept just wide of
the post.
Gardner, who was capped for England during his days at
Tottenham Hotspur, broke the deadlock in the 43rd minute when he nodded home at
the far post after Cardiff keeper Tom Heaton failed to intercept a whipped-in
free kick by Darren Ambrose and the ball flicked off the head of Kagisho
Dikgacoi.
Palace, who shocked Manchester United in the
quarterfinals, were content to play on the counter-attack in the second half as
Cardiff searched in vain for an equalizer.
