 He made his 400th career appearance in a 1–0 win over Crystal Palace in the League Cup, a tie which saw Cardiff reach their first-ever final in the competition.Cowie played the entirety of the Wembley final against Premier League Liverpool, but after a 2–2 draw following extra time, the Reds won the final 3–2 on penalties, a shootout in which Cowie took and converted Cardiff's second penalty.Cowie opened his goal account for the 2012–13 season on 22 September against Crystal Palace.