Chances were scarce in a disjointed first half which included a long delay as Fulham’s Denis Odoi was taken off on a stretcher after he was accidentally kicked in the head by his team-mate Maxime Le Marchand.
The entertainment improved after the break, with both sides playing with greater urgency and creating several chances to score before Babel struck with a brilliant first-time effort from 20 yards to break Cardiff hearts.
Neil Warnock’s side rallied with a flurry of late efforts on goal which prompted a string of fine saves from Fulham goalkeeper Sergio Rico – but those exertions proved in vain.
Cardiff remain 18th in the Premier League table, four points behind Brighton – and with a goal difference 14 worse than the Seagulls – with only two games to play this season.
Brighton came from behind to draw 1-1 with Newcastle in Saturday’s late kick-off although Cardiff fans will take heart from the fact the Seagulls face Arsenal and Manchester City in their final two fixtures.
Written off at the start of the season, and dealt several setbacks over the course of the campaign, Cardiff seem to have been clinging on to their Premier League status for what seems like an age.
They simply would not go away – a pugnacious outfit built in the image of their manager Warnock, unwilling to follow Fulham by making an instant return to the Championship.
However, this result might mean the Bluebirds will be unable to avoid that fate. Because of Brighton’s superior goal difference Cardiff must effectively win both their remaining fixtures to have a chance of staying up.
At Craven Cottage they battled valiantly and defended diligently but, as has often been the case this season, they lacked the quality to really trouble their opponents.
Set-pieces seemed Cardiff’s likeliest route to a goal as they struggled to conjure the kind of nous and touch required to fashion scoring opportunities in open play.
With Storm Hannah still making itself felt with blustery winds on the banks of the Thames, the Welsh side looked to exploit the conditions by sending a series of free-kicks and throws swirling into the Fulham box.
Following one free-kick launched from the halfway line by Lee Peltier, captain Sean Morrison was manhandled by Aleksandar Mitrovic but had his appeals for a penalty ignored by referee Chris Kavanagh.
It was not until they fell behind that Cardiff truly threatened; Junior Hoilett hitting the crossbar with one effort before Morrison and Danny Ward forced Rico into action.
