Reading vs Cardiff City: match statistics
Reading vs Cardiff City: form, goals and key statistics
Key match information
Reading play Cardiff City in EFL League One (England). The match date is 18 April 2026 at 16:00. Final score: 1:3.
Current form
Reading: 0-1-4, 0.20 points/match. Cardiff City: 3-1-1, 2.00 points/match.
Goal statistics
Reading scores 1.39 and concedes 1.30 goals per match. Cardiff City scores 1.96 and concedes 1.09. League average: 2.62 goals.
BTTS / Over / Under
BTTS: Reading 67%, Cardiff City 54%. Over 2.5: Reading 48%, Cardiff City 54%. League level: BTTS 52%, Over 2.5 51%.
xG, shots and style
Cardiff City has higher xG: 1.81 vs 1.23. Reading: 11.0 shots per match, Cardiff City: 16.0.
Match halves
Reading: half-time lead 33%, second-half goals 0.76. Cardiff City: half-time lead 33%, second-half goals 1.24.
Goals by minute
Reading: 76-90+ (16 goals). Cardiff City: 76-90+ (22 goals). This is historical distribution, not a predicted goal minute.
League context
League One: 2.62 goals per match, BTTS 52%, Over 2.5 51%.
Head-to-head
1 H2H matches: 0-0-1. Average goals 3.00, BTTS 100%.
Match description
Cardiff are the favorites: they sit 2nd with 24 wins this season, while Reading have 16 wins and are 10th; Cardiff have scored 77 goals versus Reading’s 62. The quality of chances favors the visitors — Cardiff’s away xG is 1.61 compared to Reading’s home 1.29, with 14.48 shots per match for Cardiff vs 11.48 for Reading, yielding more goal-scoring opportunities. Defensively Cardiff are stronger: they concede 1.00 goal on average away versus Reading’s 1.14 conceded at home and record 38% clean sheets compared to 29% for Reading. Recent form over the last 5 matches confirms the visitors’ advantage — Reading average 0.8 points per game in the last 5, Cardiff 1.2, although both teams had poor goal returns (Reading 5 goals, Cardiff 4 in five matches). Despite higher finishing/conversion at home (13% vs 11% for Cardiff), the decisive edge comes from higher xG, more shots and a better season record, so I predict a Cardiff win.
Half-by-half
Match statistics
Pre-match profile— what do the season numbers say?
This is a team profile based on season data and form. Match-flow statistics are shown only after the fixture is played.
Team stats— who is more efficient?
Attack and defence comparison for both teams in the current season.
Shooting quality
| Reading | Cardiff City | |
|---|---|---|
| Accuracy (shots on target) | 34% | 34% |
| Chance quality (xG per shot) | 0.11 | 0.11 |
| Finishing (goals per shot on target) | 0.37 | 0.36 |
xG per shot around 0.08 usually means long-range attempts; 0.15+ usually means box chances. The style label comes from possession, shot volume and conversion.
* xG (expected goals) says how many goals a team should score from its chances. If actual goals are above xG, finishing is above average; if below xG, chances are being missed.
Team form— who is in better shape?
Last five matches and season record, overall and split by home and away matches.
Cardiff City is 900% better for: last-5 form.
0.2 pts / match - Reading · 2 pts / match - Cardiff City
Goals— how do both teams score and concede?
How many goals both teams score and concede, plus how often they keep a clean sheet or fail to score.
Cardiff City is 41% better for: goals scored per match.
1.39 goals / match - Reading · 1.96 goals / match - Cardiff City
Cardiff City is 19% better for: goals conceded per match.
1.3 goals / match - Reading · 1.09 goals / match - Cardiff City
Reading scores in 85% of matches (39 of 46 matches), while Cardiff City keeps a clean sheet in 37% (17 of 46 matches).
Cardiff City scores in 87% of matches (40 of 46 matches), while Reading keeps a clean sheet in 17% (8 of 46 matches).
How often they score at least...
How often they concede at least...
* Statistics include both teams' home and away matches in the current season.
Both teams scored (BTTS)— how often do both teams score?
How often both teams' matches have goals on both sides, compared with the league average.
Goal patterns
BTTS and goal count
Goal count (Over/Under)— how often do these matches cross the goal lines?
How often matches involving these teams clear goal thresholds, in the full match and in each half.
Full match - team comparison (Over)
Over / Under — Reading
Over / Under — Cardiff City
1st half
2nd half
Match halves— when do the teams score more often?
How teams split performance between first and second half: goals, points, clean sheets and half-time state.
Before half-time (1st half)
After half-time (2nd half)
Reading - second-half results
Leads at half-time in 33% of matches and wins 35%. Also wins matches without a half-time lead.
Concedes 0.5 more goals per match after half-time - defensive level drops in the second half.
Cardiff City - second-half results
Leads at half-time in 33% of matches and wins 59%. Also wins matches without a half-time lead.
Defence stays stable across the full match.
| 1st half | 2nd half | |
|---|---|---|
| Points per match | 0.40 | 0.80 |
| Goals scored / match | 0.0 | 0.6 |
| Goals conceded / match | 0.6 | 1.0 |
| Average goals in match | 0.6 | 1.6 |
| 1 goal | 60% | 100% |
| 2 goals | 0% | 40% |
| 3 goals | 0% | 20% |
| Clean sheet | 40% | 20% |
| No goal | 100% | 40% |
| Goal difference | -3 | -2 |
| 1st half | 2nd half | |
|---|---|---|
| Points per match | 1.40 | 3.00 |
| Goals scored / match | 0.8 | 2.0 |
| Goals conceded / match | 0.8 | 0.8 |
| Average goals in match | 1.6 | 2.8 |
| 1 goal | 80% | 100% |
| 2 goals | 40% | 60% |
| 3 goals | 40% | 60% |
| Clean sheet | 60% | 40% |
| No goal | 60% | 0% |
| Goal difference | 0 | +6 |
* Colours in tables show event frequency: green is common, yellow is moderate, red is rare. It is frequency, not a team rating.
Goals by minute— when do goals arrive?
Match phases in which both teams most often score and concede.
Most dangerous in minutes 76-90 (16 goli). Concedes most in 61-75 (16). Late-goal balance (76-90): +3 - wins late phases.
Most dangerous in minutes 76-90 (22 goli). Concedes most in 16-30 (10). Late-goal balance (76-90): +13 - wins late phases.
* Buckets 31-45 and 76-90 include added-time goals.
Additional team indicators— what do xG, efficiency and form show?
A comparison of chance quality, results and trends based on completed matches from the current season.
Match profile
Reading
Cardiff City
* The estimated goal total and split, BTTS estimate, 0:0 risk and goal range are calculated from public season averages and frequencies for both teams. This is a statistical match profile, not a private model prediction or betting pick. The remaining indicators describe completed matches from the season.
League context— is this a high-scoring league?
How both teams compare with league-wide averages (League One).
Teams vs league
| Reading | Liga | Cardiff City | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average goals in match | • 2.70 | 2.62 | ▲ 3.04 |
| Both teams scored | ▲ 67% | 52% | ▲ 54% |
| Min. 3 goals (Over 2.5) | ▼ 48% | 51% | ▲ 54% |
| Clean sheets | ▼ 17% | 27% | ▲ 37% |
| Goal before half-time | • 70% | 70% | ▼ 67% |
| Goal after half-time | ▲ 93% | 81% | ▲ 83% |
^ green = above league average, ˇ red = below league average. This shows direction of the gap, not a team rating.
Head-to-head
Previous meeting: Reading 0 - 0 - 1 Cardiff City. Average goals 3.00, both teams scored in 100% matches.
FAQ
What was the result of Reading vs Cardiff City?
The EFL League One match finished Reading 1:3 Cardiff City. Full match statistics, the half-by-half breakdown and head-to-head are on this page.
What do the goal statistics show before Reading vs Cardiff City?
Reading score 1.39 goals per game on average and Cardiff City 1.96. The EFL League One average is 2.62 goals, with Over 2.5 landing in 51% of games. Both teams score in 67% of Reading's matches and 54% of Cardiff City's.
What form are Reading and Cardiff City in?
Over the last 5 games Reading have a 0-1-4 record (0.20 points per game) and Cardiff City 3-1-1 (2.00 points per game).
Where can I find a betting tip and analysis for Reading vs Cardiff City?
The statistical background for Reading vs Cardiff City — form, head-to-head, goals, BTTS and Over/Under — is on this page. The tip with full reasoning and a value assessment is in the NoFluffPicks app.