After their 4-2 loss against Barcelona in midweek Tottenham will have been glad to secure three points, but their performance could have been much better.
After Cardiff took heavy beatings by Chelsea and Manchester City, Tottenham will have no doubt wanted to score more than one goal at the very least.
However that's all they could manage at Wembley. It came in the eight minute from an unlikely source.
Eric Dier had not scored since April 2017, but the defensive midfielder broke the deadlock in the rain at the national stadium. A short corner was worked to Kieran Trippier on the left of the box and the right-back whipped in a trademark delivery.
The curling cross was met by Davinson Sanchez but the Colombian's header was blocked. Dier reacted quickest and smashed the ball pas Neil Etheridge in the Cardiff net.
October 6, 2018
With Totenham dominating possession, it looked like Cardiff could be in for another drubbing, but it would not prove to be the case.
The Welsh team rallied, despite only having 20% possession in the first 20 minutes. Makeshift striker Callum Paterson sent Josh Murphy through on goal, he dinked an effort past Hugo Lloris which was on target, however Toby Alderweireld intervened with a phenomenal goal line clearance to deny the former Norwich star.
As the half continued Cardiff battled hard, but Tottenham should have extended their lead. Lucas Moura mispalced a header under pressure from Sean Morrison, before a far more glaring miss.
In the 42nd minute the Brazilian received the ball in the box after a great piece of work from the lively Heung Son Min, but his side footed effort dribbled wide when it looked certain he would score.
Son would go on to blaze over the bar before the break, which saw Tottenham take their lead in to half time.
The closest they would come to extending it came almost immediately after Harry Winks took the kick off to start the second period.
Harry Kane was picked out by a cross from the left but Etheridge saved from the England captain, from the rebound Lucas failed to score again but this time it was no fault of his own.
Morrison saved his team with a goal line clearance every bit as good as Alderweireld's for Tottenham, heroically blocking the Brazilian's powerful effort.
Tottenham's day was made easier in the 58th minute after some incredibly cynical play from Joe Ralls. The lively Lucas touched the ball well beyond the midfielder and left him for dead with his pace, but the Englishman took the winger out with a horrible challenge that was nowhere near the ball.
He was not the last man but there was absolutely no attempt to play the ball, a red card may have been on the stricter side of the wall, but was completely merited.
Tottenham however, what will be most disappointed with how they completely failed to kick on from here. In fact it was Cardiff who struck the woodwork minutes later.
Victor Camarasa floated in a free kick from just inside Spurs' half, Morrison met it with a bullet header and Hugo Lloris, somewhat atoned for his error in midweek with a fine save to tip the ball onto the post.
From here on in Erik Lamela and Lucas looked bright but Tottenham failed to threaten the Cardiff goal.
After 90 minutes they secured the three points by the narrowest of margins, although they enjoyed 76% possession, they will have to improve dramatically after the international break if they want to achieve their goals this season.