Thiago and Nunes feature in behind-closed-doors friendly | OneFootball

Igor Thiago and Gustavo Nunes featured in a behind-closed-doors friendly on Wednesday, as a Brentford XI beat Cardiff City 2-1 at Jersey Road.

The Brazilian duo played 45 minutes, alongside fellow first-team player Paris Maghoma, as goals from Ethan Brierley and Benjamin Arthur secured the win for the Bees.

Nunes looked lively during his first minutes in red and white - and had the first chance of the game against the Championship side. Ashley Hay's cross fell to the winger but his effort went over the bar.

Brentford had long spells of possession throughout the first half, but it was the visitors who took the lead. Yakou Méïté's powerful free-kick was saved well by goalkeeper Reggie Rose, who then stopped Kion Etete’s follow-up, before Luke Pearce tucked home from close range at the third time of asking for the visitors.

Nunes was soon at the heart of the action again, as Brierley put in a teasing cross towards the penalty spot, which a Cardiff defender deflected into the path of the former Grêmio forward, whose effort hit the crossbar.

There would be one final chance for Nunes, who linked up with Thiago in an exciting move just before the half-time whistle. In the second phase of a corner, Brierley played another fantastic ball into Thiago who, inside the area, laid it into Nunes, but his strike was deflected wide of the far post.

The second period was quieter than the first, as the Bees looked to find their way back into the game. The first chance of the half came courtesy of Arthur, but his header from a corner went just wide.

Hay was the next to try his luck and, as he pressed the Bluebirds goalkeeper, his tackle hit the post and bounced the wrong side of the woodwork.

The west Londoners were creating chances and the best one came just before the hour mark, as Brierley was fed down the right. He played a cross into Maghoma inside the penalty area but the centre-midfielder slipped at the crucial moment; the rebound fell to Hay, who hit the woodwork for the second time.

Brenford's pressure finally told on 65 minutes, when Brierley's free-kick, which was won by substitute Vonnte Williams, was whipped towards the far post. His goal-bound effort appeared to take a touch on its way in, as the hosts found their equaliser.

And the winner came 10 minutes later when a similar cross towards the back post, this time from Tony Yogane after a tricky run down the left, was met by Arthur, who squeezed his header into the back of the net.

Cardiff had a last-gasp effort before the final whistle, but Morgan Wigley's shot was saved by the solid Rose in goal, securing the victory for Brentford.

Brentford: Rose; Holland (Lisbie 75), Arthur, Headman (Avenell 62), Yogane (Laidlaw 80); Maghoma (Krauhaus 62), Owen, Brierley (Dickov 80), Nunes (Williams 45), Thiago (Morgan 45), Hay

Cardiff: Horvath (Turner 75); Jeffries (Barton 75), Fish, Daland (Cook 62), Collins; Méïté (Jones 82), Bagan, Ashford, Reindorf (Wigley 82); Etete (Perrett 45), Pearce