Carabao Cup: Huddersfield stun Leicester in shootout drama, Birmingham beat Blades

The Guardian

7 hours ago

The goalkeeper Lee Nichols was the hero for Huddersfield, who overcame Championship opponents in Leicester via a penalty shootout following an entertaining 2-2 Carabao Cup first-round draw at the League One club''s Accu Stadium.
Huddersfield started strongly and Ruben Roosken and David Kasumu both had strong penalty shouts turned down early on after both appearing to be tripped inside the box.
The hosts held Leicester at bay until nine minutes after the break, when the right-back Hamza Choudhury smashed a half-cleared ball into the far top corner. That brought the game to life and Huddersfield reacted best, with Roosken awarded a penalty after Choudhury brought him down. Dion Charles's spot-kick was saved, but the 19-year-old midfielder Dan Vost headed home the rebound in the 65th minute for his first senior goal.
Leicester restored their lead three minutes later, with Stephy Mavididi squaring for his fellow substitute Harry Winks to curl the ball into the bottom corner. Again Huddersfield found a response, however, with the youngster Cameron Ashia claiming his second goal in two games by curling a fantastic effort into the top corner for 2-2.
That sent the game to a shootout, where Huddersfield prevailed 3-2 as Bilal El Khannouss hit a post and Nicholls saved efforts from Jordan Ayew and Kasey McAteer. The Terriers will face a trip to Sunderland in the second round.
Gustavo Hamer produced an early contender for goal of the season but it was not enough to stop Birmingham advancing with a 2-1 victory against Sheffield United thanks to Jay Stansfield's late winner. Stansfield, an England Under-21s international, struck three minutes from time with a deflected effort which book the hosts a home tie against Port Vale.
The nine Premier League teams involved in European competition this season – Liverpool, Arsenal, Manchester City, Chelsea, holders Newcastle, Tottenham, Aston Villa, Nottingham Forest and Crystal Palace – will enter the League Cup at the third-round stage.
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Birmingham had made almost all the running and wasted numerous chances to build on a fifth-minute lead given to them by Kyogo Furuhashi after good work by Demarai Gray. But Hamer's introduction off the bench early in the second half breathed fresh life into the Blades and he stunned the home crowd with a magnificent drive from 50 yards. The midfielder picked up a loose ball in midfield before stepping forward and taking aim, sending a shot beyond James Beadle, a debutant, who had strayed marginally off his line.
However, with spot-kicks beckoning, Stansfield twisted and turned inside the area, firing off a shot which was diverted past Adam Davies by a slight touch from a covering defender.
Pierce Charles saved twice and Liam Palmer converted the winning spot-kick as the Championship crisis club Sheffield Wednesday beat Bolton of League One 4-2 on penalties.
Charles, the only player to retain his place from last Sunday's league defeat at Leicester, kept out efforts from Aaron Morley and Max Conway before stalwart Palmer booked a home derby with Leeds.
Victory was well deserved for Henrik Pedersen's young guns despite Wanderers going down to 10 men after the defender Sam Inwood's 30th-minute red card. Pedersen named five teenagers in his starting lineup and Gui Siqueira smashed them into a 20th-minute lead.
Bolton equalised for the first time through Jordi Osei-Tutu after 36 minutes. However, the Owls' skipper, Ike Ugbo, restored the visitors' advantage with a cool right-footed finish a minute later. The substitute Thierry Gale's first Bolton goal after 77 minutes looked to have earned penalties, only for Reece Johnson to make it 3-2 after 80 minutes.
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Wednesday were heading through until the substitute Amario Cozier-Duberry's dramatic stunning stoppage-time leveller. However, Charles was the hero with his double saves to delight Wednesday's travelling fans.
Oakwell hosted another first-round shootout, with Barnsley emerging victorious 5-4 on spot-kicks against Fleetwood after the match finished 2-2. The visitors had forced penalties deep into added time, with Owen Devonport bringing up his side's second equaliser.
However, Murphy Cooper was the hero, saving Fleetwood's first penalty by Ryan Graydon and later denying George Morrison as the shootout went to sudden death.
Cheltenham scored in each half to ease past Exeter 2-0 – the defender James Wilson gave the hosts the lead in the 28th minute before the midfielder Ryan Broom, back at the club this season after a spell at Fleetwood, gave his side breathing space and set up a visit to Cardiff next month.
Manchester United will travel to League Two Grimsby in the Carabao Cup second round as they attempt to bounce back from one of their worst seasons in recent history.
The 2023 winners will head for Blundell Park during the week beginning 25 August after being paired with the Mariners in Wednesday night's draw, in which they were the last team team out of the hat.
Elsewhere, there are all-Premier League clashes between Bournemouth and Brentford and Wolves and West Ham, while promoted Leeds face a trip to either Bolton or Sheffield Wednesday and Everton will host League One Mansfield at the Hill Dickinson Stadium.
Sides involved in Europe this season – Liverpool, Arsenal, Manchester City, Chelsea, League Cup holders Newcastle, Tottenham, Aston Villa, Nottingham Forest and Crystal Palace – will enter the competition in the third round.