Ole Gunnar Solskjaer on the wrong end of a late winner as Everton down his Cardiff side

Posted Monday, March 17, 2014 by Dailystar.co.uk

OLE GUNNAR SOLSKJAER is more famous for being on the other end of stoppage-time goals.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer on the wrong end of a late winner as Everton down his Cardiff side
ANGUISH: Solskjaer, who so often bagged late winners during his career, was on the receiving end at Goodison Park

But the Cardiff boss knows he may need the greatest comeback of his career to save the South Wales side from the drop.

The former striker has called on one of his players to become a hero for the Bluebirds - just like he was for Manchester United on so many occasions as a player.

Seamus Coleman sliced a fortunate effort home in the 93rd minute to steal three points for Everton and keep their European ambitions alive.

It came after Juan Cala cancelled out Gerard Deulofeu's opener for the Toffees.

There was also a clear penalty shout for Cardiff when sub Wilfried Zaha was upended in the area by Sylvain Distin's stray leg - but referee Roger East gave nothing, much to the anger of the away fans.

It marked an unlucky day for former Manchester United striker Solskjaer and his charges, who deserved something from this game after a sound performance.

The Cardiff boss was a cult hero at Old Trafford for his late goals from the bench - most famously the winner in the 1999 Champions League final that secured the Treble for United.

So the irony was not lost on the Norwegian that, like Bayern Munich that night in Barcelona, his side had chances to win a game they probably deserved.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer on the wrong end of a late winner as Everton down his Cardiff side
WINNER: Seamus Coleman is mobbed after his late winner for Everton

He said: "We are going to need luck. It has proven over the years football has often been decided by luck, but if we continue to play like this we will earn out luck eventually.

"I thought we earned it in this game, never got it, but it will come.

"When you are at this end of it, then it's not very nice, when you are at the other end of it, then they know they were lucky today.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer on the wrong end of a late winner as Everton down his Cardiff side "The luck wasn't with us, but sometimes you have to take encouragement by what we did to Everton."

Cardiff are three points adrift of safety and have played more games than their relegation rivals as the task to survive grows bigger by the week.

Solskjaer said: "They love their heroes out there on the pitch, and I just said I'm going to work my backside off and earn the [fans'] support.

"They can see we have a team that is going to do our best to make them proud.

"We need heroes now definitely - it is eight games to go and I'm sure one or two heroes will step forward."

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer on the wrong end of a late winner as Everton down his Cardiff side
LEVELLER: Juan Cala celebrates with his team-mates and the travelling Cardiff faithful

Solskjaer won six Premier League titles, two FA Cups and a Champions League crown during his time at Old Trafford.

But it shows just how much it would mean to him to keep Cardiff from an immediate return to the Championship, the he believes it would rank alongside his glittering achievements as a player.

He added: "It would rank the highest - and it will."

Everton took the lead in the 59th minute through Deulofeu after almost an hour of little action at Goodison Park.

The on-loan Barcelona star cut inside before firing a deflected effort past Cardiff keeper David Marshall, who had been the standout performer with a number of saves keeping the Blues out.

Cardiff were not behind for long as Cala managed to turn in Peter Whittingham's free-kick which came of his knee, chest and then chin before beating Tim Howard nine minutes after the opener.

But after Cardiff were denied a penalty, Everton nicked it in stoppage time as Irishman Coleman got more than a touch of luck on St Patrick's weekend.

Aiden McGeady's cross was headed down into his path by Gareth Barry and the ball spun off the outside of his boot before looping into the goal at slow-motion pace.

Everton boss Roberto Martinez was quick to praise his match-winner as the best full-back in the league.

He said: "That position is very difficult.

"In the modern game, it is rare to have someone who can defend, who can be strong in one v one situations; that he can cover the centre-backs and then have the stamina to get forward.

"He has a clinical eye in front of goal and it is quite difficult to find a better full-back than him.

"He is learning the game, he is a really exciting talent and we want to see how far he can go."