Follow live coverage as Preston North End face Cardiff City in the Championship today.
An increasingly competitive second tier in English football remains an intense and exciting competition, with the prize of a place in the Premier League on offer at the end of the season.
Relegation from the top flight last term means Luton, Burnley and Sheffield United are all back in the second tier this term and will be expected to push for play-off spots again at least, but so too will Norwich City, an improving Coventry and beaten play-off finalists Leeds United. At the other end of the table, Wayne Rooney is aiming to revive Plymouth’s fortunes after they narrowly avoided relegation last year, with Portsmouth and Derby the teams promoted from League One along with play-off final winners Oxford.
Follow live updates from today’s game in the live blog below.
Preston North End FC 1 - 1 Cardiff City FC
Preston North End vs Cardiff City
21:10Ryan Porteous (Preston North End) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Preston North End vs Cardiff City
21:09Foul by Ryan Porteous (Preston North End).
Preston North End vs Cardiff City
21:09Will Fish (Cardiff City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Preston North End vs Cardiff City
21:09Foul by Milutin Osmajic (Preston North End).
Preston North End vs Cardiff City
21:09Substitution, Preston North End. Sam Greenwood replaces Andrew Hughes.
Preston North End vs Cardiff City
21:09Substitution, Cardiff City. Alex Robertson replaces Andy Rinomhota.
Preston North End vs Cardiff City
21:08Attempt missed. Milutin Osmajic (Preston North End) left footed shot from the left side of the box is close, but misses to the left. Assisted by Mads Frökjaer-Jensen following a fast break.
Preston North End vs Cardiff City
21:07Corner, Cardiff City. Conceded by Stefán Thórdarson.
Preston North End vs Cardiff City
21:04Attempt missed. Calum Chambers (Cardiff City) right footed shot from outside the box.
Preston North End vs Cardiff City
21:03Will Alves (Cardiff City) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Preston North End vs Cardiff City
21:03Will Keane (Preston North End) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Preston North End vs Cardiff City
21:02Attempt missed. Cian Ashford (Cardiff City) right footed shot from the right side of the box.
Preston North End vs Cardiff City
21:02Rubin Colwill (Cardiff City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Preston North End vs Cardiff City
21:01Delay over. They are ready to continue.
Preston North End vs Cardiff City
20:59Delay in match because of an injury Andy Rinomhota (Cardiff City).
Preston North End vs Cardiff City
20:59Foul by Cian Ashford (Cardiff City).
Preston North End vs Cardiff City
20:56Corner, Preston North End. Conceded by Will Fish.
Preston North End vs Cardiff City
20:56Attempt missed. Rubin Colwill (Cardiff City) right footed shot from outside the box is high and wide to the right. Assisted by Will Alves.
Preston North End vs Cardiff City
20:56Offside, Preston North End. Milutin Osmajic is caught offside.
Preston North End vs Cardiff City
20:56Goal! Preston North End 1, Cardiff City 1. Will Alves (Cardiff City) right footed shot from the left side of the box to the bottom left corner. Assisted by Yousef Salech following a fast break.
Preston North End vs Cardiff City
20:55Foul by Will Fish (Cardiff City).
Preston North End vs Cardiff City
20:51Attempt saved. Rubin Colwill (Cardiff City) right footed shot from outside the box is saved.
Preston North End vs Cardiff City
20:51Foul by Mads Frökjaer-Jensen (Preston North End).
Preston North End vs Cardiff City
20:50Attempt saved. Robert Brady (Preston North End) left footed shot from the left side of the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Mads Frökjaer-Jensen.
Preston North End vs Cardiff City
20:48Corner, Preston North End. Conceded by Rubin Colwill.
Preston North End vs Cardiff City
20:47Second Half begins Preston North End 1, Cardiff City 0.
Preston North End vs Cardiff City
20:46Substitution, Cardiff City. Will Alves replaces Dimitrios Goutas.
Preston North End vs Cardiff City
20:32First Half ends, Preston North End 1, Cardiff City 0.
Preston North End vs Cardiff City
20:32Fourth official has announced 1 minutes of added time.
Preston North End vs Cardiff City
20:32Andy Rinomhota (Cardiff City) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Preston North End vs Cardiff City
20:29Foul by Will Keane (Preston North End).
Preston North End vs Cardiff City
20:28Attempt missed. Cian Ashford (Cardiff City) right footed shot from outside the box is close, but misses to the right. Assisted by Calum Chambers.
Preston North End vs Cardiff City
20:26Offside, Preston North End. Milutin Osmajic is caught offside.
Preston North End vs Cardiff City
20:26Andrew Hughes (Preston North End) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Preston North End vs Cardiff City
20:26Attempt missed. Yousef Salech (Cardiff City) header from the right side of the box is high and wide to the right. Assisted by Rubin Colwill with a cross following a corner.
Preston North End vs Cardiff City
20:26Corner, Cardiff City. Conceded by David Cornell.
Preston North End vs Cardiff City
20:26Attempt saved. Rubin Colwill (Cardiff City) right footed shot from the right side of the box is saved in the top left corner. Assisted by Calum Chambers.
Preston North End vs Cardiff City
20:22Foul by Ryan Porteous (Preston North End).
Preston North End vs Cardiff City
20:19Attempt missed. Milutin Osmajic (Preston North End) right footed shot from very close range.
Preston North End vs Cardiff City
20:19Ryan Porteous (Preston North End) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Preston North End vs Cardiff City
20:13Foul by Stefán Thórdarson (Preston North End).
Preston North End vs Cardiff City
20:12Corner, Preston North End. Conceded by Jesper Daland.
Preston North End vs Cardiff City
20:12Foul by Robert Brady (Preston North End).
Preston North End vs Cardiff City
20:11Foul by Will Keane (Preston North End).
Preston North End vs Cardiff City
20:07Corner, Preston North End. Conceded by Sivert Mannsverk.
Preston North End vs Cardiff City
20:07Attempt missed. Dimitrios Goutas (Cardiff City) header from the centre of the box misses to the left. Assisted by Rubin Colwill with a cross following a corner.
Preston North End vs Cardiff City
20:07Corner, Cardiff City. Conceded by Benjamin Whiteman.
Preston North End vs Cardiff City
20:06Goal! Preston North End 1, Cardiff City 0. Milutin Osmajic (Preston North End) right footed shot from the centre of the box to the bottom right corner.
Preston North End vs Cardiff City
20:06Benjamin Whiteman (Preston North End) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Preston North End vs Cardiff City
20:06Milutin Osmajic (Preston North End) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Preston North End vs Cardiff City
20:05Corner, Cardiff City. Conceded by Lewis Gibson.
Preston North End vs Cardiff City
20:03Attempt blocked. Sivert Mannsverk (Cardiff City) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
Preston North End vs Cardiff City
20:00Attempt missed. Kaine Kesler-Hayden (Preston North End) left footed shot from the right side of the box is high and wide to the left. Assisted by Robert Brady with a cross.
Preston North End vs Cardiff City
19:56Stefán Thórdarson (Preston North End) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Preston North End vs Cardiff City
19:56Foul by Sivert Mannsverk (Cardiff City).
Preston North End vs Cardiff City
19:55Offside, Preston North End. Will Keane is caught offside.
Preston North End vs Cardiff City
19:49Kaine Kesler-Hayden (Preston North End) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Preston North End vs Cardiff City
19:46First Half begins.
Preston North End vs Cardiff City
19:15Lineups are announced and players are warming up.
Preston North End vs Cardiff City
17:45Follow live football coverage with The Independent today.
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