The EFL Cup for the 2022/23 season got underway this week, with 70 clubs across the EFL Championship, League One ,and League Two taking part in Round 1. Promoted sides Stockport County and Grimsby Town take part in this year’s competition, on their return to the Football League, with Norwich City also taking part in Round 1 once again after relegation from the Premier League in 20th position. With many sides putting out what can be seen as a weaker and perhaps less experienced team in the competition, it provides the chance for players to get game time and attempt to gain a starting position. This also opens the door for cup upsets, which would ultimately be seen in this round of fixtures, with these selected games being some of the best…
Blackpool 0-0 Barrow (Barrow won 3-4 on pens)
a id=’-ELEFUXbQPBUNQxvqxqQtw’ class=’gie-single’ href=’http://www.gettyimages.com/detail/1242413523′ target=’_blank’ style=’color:#a7a7a7;text-decoration:none;font-weight:normal !important;border:none;display:inline-block;’>Embed from Getty Images
League Two Barrow held Championship Blackpool all the way to penalties, eventually beating the tangerines 3-4 in the shootout, to cause the upset of the Round. A strong Blackpool team couldn’t find a way past a resilient Barrow side, who thought they won it earlier in the shootout through a Paul Farman save, however, the referee ordered a retake, which was ultimately scored, delaying the celebrations of the travelling Barrow fans. However, Blackpool midfielder Lewis Fiorini, on loan from Manchester City, put his penalty over the bar, finally confirming a historic Barrow win.
Luton Town 2-3 Newport County
Newport County produced an impressive comeback against Luton Town, to dump another Championship side out of the EFL Cup and cause another cup upset. The League Two side went behind after 30 minutes after Carlos Mendes Gomes put the Hatters ahead, but a quick response from County cancelled this out after 21-year-old Lewis Collins brought Newport level. Luton went back in front early in the second half, with Tom Lockyer getting on the score sheet, but once again Newport levelled immediately after, with Chanka Zimba on loan from Cardiff City bringing the score to 2-2. Luton Town was the more dominant team, however, Newport’s James Waite put the Welsh side 3-2 up at Kenilworth Road, eventually seeing out the win to knock out another Championship side from the competition.
Oxford United 2-2 Swansea City (Oxford won 5-3 on pens)
Oxford United came back from 0-2 down to beat Championship side Swansea City on penalties in the EFL Cup, setting up a Second Round tie against Crystal Palace. The Welsh side took a 0-2 lead into the break, with Jay Fulton and Liam Cullen putting the Swans in control. However, after Alex Gorrin got a goal back for the Yellows in the 72nd minute, up stepped Cameron Brannagan in the 93rd minute of the game, who scored a free kick to send the game into penalties, which Oxford United won 5-3, to be the next team to knock out a Championship side in the first round.
Other results:
Many other Championship clubs were knocked out by lower league opposition as well as those above. Stoke City were knocked out by Morecambe on penalties, whilst QPR suffered the same fate of the penalty shootout against Charlton Athletic. Stevenage knocked out a particularly inexperienced Reading side, whilst Bradford knocked Hull City out of the EFL Cup at home. Fleetwood Town, who recently appointed former Celtic captain Scott Brown, knocked out newly promoted Championship side Wigan Athletic. Another notable result was Exeter City’s 0-7 thrashing of Cheltenham Town away from home, to progress to the Second Round.
EFL Cup First Round – Other Key Results:
Cambridge 1-0 Millwall
Cardiff 0-3 Portsmouth
Huddersfield 1-4 Preston
Ipswich 0-1 Colchester
Norwich 2-2 Birmingham City (Norwich won 4-2 on pens)
Coventry 1-4 Bristol City
Middlesbrough 0-1 Barnsley
Sheffield Wednesday 2-0 Sunderland
West Brom 1-0 Sheffield United
EFL Cup – Second Round Draw:
The Second Round draw followed the ties on Wednesday night. As a result of the high amount of Championship sides knocked out of the EFL Cup, many League One and Two sides remain in the competition and have been drawn exciting games. The notable Second Round ties include Stockport County, which will be host to Premier League side Leicester City, as the Premier League sides not participating in a European Competition enter the Cup at this stage. League Two Tranmere host Newcastle United, whilst newly promoted Grimsby Town face Nottingham Forest. Former Premier League side Bolton Wanderers will come up against Aston Villa, and many other Premier League clubs travel to lower league sides in the EFL Cup Second Round.
EFL Cup Second Round Draw:
South:
Stevenage v Peterborough United
Norwich City v AFC Bournemouth
Newport County v Portsmouth
Oxford United v Crystal Palace
Watford v Milton Keynes Dons
Colchester United v Brentford
Wycombe Wanderers v Bristol City
Walsall v Charlton Athletic
Crawley Town v Fulham
Cambridge United v Southampton
Gillingham v Exeter City
Forest Green Rovers v Brighton & Hove Albion
North:
Bolton Wanderers v Aston Villa
Derby County v West Bromwich Albion
Wolverhampton Wanderers v Preston North End
Leeds United v Barnsley
Fleetwood Town v Everton
Sheffield Wednesday v Rochdale
Tranmere Rovers v Newcastle United
Rotherham United v Morecambe
Barrow v Lincoln City
Stockport County v Leicester City
Bradford City v Blackburn Rovers
Grimsby Town v Nottingham Forest
Shrewsbury Town v Burnley
For more on all Football, check out the Football section of the World in Sport website here: https://worldinsport.com/category/news/football/
