Newcastle scored a goal inside 19 seconds and then won a penalty shootout against Nottingham Forest to advance in the English League Cup on Wednesday in a match featuring a comeback by Italy midfielder Sandro Tonali after a 10-month gambling ban.
Tonali was involved in the buildup to Newcastle’s extremely early goal scored by Joe Willock at the City Ground and played 62 minutes before being substituted, by which time Forest had equalized through Jota Silva.
The second-round game finished 1-1 in regulation time and went immediately to a shootout, during which Newcastle came from behind to win it 4-3 after misses by Ibrahim Sangare and Taiwo Awoniyi for Forest. Sean Longstaff converted the clinching penalty.
In another all-Premier League matchup, Jarrod Bowen unwittingly scored a controversial goal in the 88th minute to earn West Ham a 1-0 home win over Bournemouth.
A shot by Mohammed Kudus appeared to deflect in off the arm of Bowen. The goal was awarded and with no video reviews at this stage of the competition, there was no chance for it to be overturned — much to the annoyance of Bournemouth manager Andoni Iraola, who complained to the fourth official in the technical area.
The only shock of the night — indeed, in the whole second round — saw top-flight Ipswich get eliminated by fourth-tier AFC Wimbledon, which won a shootout 4-2 after a 2-2 draw. AFC Wimbledon’s reward was a third-round match at home against Newcastle.
Southampton needed stoppage-time goals by James Bree and Cameron Archer to beat second-tier Cardiff 5-3 in a wild match, while Wolverhampton defeated second-tier Burnley 2-0 thanks to goals by Gonçalo Guedes. Brentford beat fourth-tier Colchester 1-0 away.
The teams that are playing in European competition this season will enter the League Cup in the third round, which will see defending champion Liverpool host West Ham, while Manchester City, Arsenal and Manchester United all play against lower-league opponents in Watford, Bolton and Barnsley, respectively.
Discussion about this post