Cardiff comfortably leads League 1, with 20 wins in 31 matches and a better goal difference (58:30). The team has enjoyed excellent form, picking up 12 points from its last ten matches, and has won seven of its last eight at home. Cardiff already beat Wimbledon 1-0 away in the first round and clearly knows how to penetrate opponents' defenses.
Wimbledon is in 15th place and has suffered serious problems on the road: only four away wins this season, while losing three of its last five away matches. The team scores poorly (an average of 1.1 goals per game) and regularly loses to opponents in the top half of the table. In head-to-head matches, Wimbledon has also lost to Cardiff in three of its last four matches.
The difference in class, competition motivation, and statistics favor the hosts. Cardiff need to confirm their championship ambitions, and Wimbledon are unlikely to be able to put up a fight on the leaders' field.
