Shocking Night in Carabao Cup: Leeds Suffer Penalty Shootout Defeat to Salford City
Leeds United stunned by Salford in Carabao Cup upset; Tottenham falls to Fulham on penalties; Crystal Palace stages epic comeback for victory at Plymouth; Bournemouth secures late winner against Swansea
Salford, a League Two team, caused a major upset in the Carabao Cup second round by defeating Championship side Leeds in a penalty shootout, with a final score of 9-8. Ossama Ashley secured the victory for Salford by successfully converting a penalty kick, which he had to retake due to Karl Darlow being penalized for stepping off his line while saving the initial attempt. This victory marks the first time Salford has advanced to the third round of the competition.
Salford came close to advancing in regular time, thanks to a goal in the 36th minute by 34-year-old striker Matt Smith, who had previously played at Elland Road for a little over a season starting in 2013. However, Salford had to endure intense pressure after Pascal Struijk managed to equalize. They relied heavily on goalkeeper Alex Cairns to take the game to a shootout.
However, despite Jamie Shackleton's attempt hitting the crossbar, Ashley remained composed and initiated a friendly pitch invasion, sparking a joyous atmosphere. In a clash against Fulham, another Premier League team, Tottenham suffered a loss in a penalty shootout. This result came after manager Ange Postecoglou opted for nine alterations to his starting lineup for the close-distance excursion in London.
Richarlison scored his first goal in eight games to equalize the score, after Fulham, who made six changes, took the lead with Micky van der Ven's own goal. The Cottagers emerged victorious with a 5-3 win, with Davinson Sanchez being the only player to miss, as Kenny Tete scored from the penalty spot.
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In Spurs' shootout defeat at Fulham, Davinson Sanchez was the sole player out of nine who missed.
Crystal Palace managed to avoid an early elimination by scoring three goals in less than five minutes in the second half. They staged a comeback to secure a 4-2 victory over Championship side Plymouth.
Manager Roy Hodgson, who made seven changes from their 1-1 draw with Brentford on Saturday, brought on Eberechi Eze, Jordan Ayew, and Jeffrey Schlupp as substitutes. These three players played a pivotal role in the team's turnaround, with Ayew and Eze assisting goals by Odsonne Edouard and Jean-Philippe Mateta. Schlupp also contributed by setting up Mateta for his second goal before he completed his hat-trick in the 83rd minute.
Bournemouth came out victorious against Swansea with a 3-2 victory thanks to Ryan Christie's last-minute goal, marking manager Andoni Iraola's first win. Swansea took an early lead with a penalty from Matt Grimes, but goals from David Brooks and Hamed Traore in the second half turned the tables. Jamie Paterson briefly equalized for Swansea before Christie secured the win for Bournemouth.
Wolves defender Matt Doherty netted two goals within a span of six minutes during their commanding 5-0 victory over Blackpool. Meanwhile, Luton managed to secure a 3-2 win against Gillingham in their inaugural match at Kenilworth Road this season, despite Tom Nichols scoring in the 88th minute.
In a thrilling encounter, Brentford narrowly avoided a major upset at Newport by prevailing 3-0 in a penalty shootout following a 1-1 draw in regular time. Mathias Jensen appeared poised to secure their victory within the standard 90 minutes, but Kiban Rai equalized in the 97th minute, resulting in the lottery of penalties.
Sutton secured their inaugural victory in the competition with a solitary goal from Aiden O'Brien, triumphing over Wycombe. This marked their second consecutive win against a League One team.
In three matches featuring only Championship teams, Cardiff emerged as the victors, defeating the previously undefeated Birmingham side with a 3-1 scoreline. Stoke dominated over Rotherham with a significant 6-1 win, whereas Norwich continued their impressive start by securing a narrow 1-0 victory against Bristol City.
Middlesbrough secured a crucial 3-1 victory against League One Bolton in the closing minutes, while Leicester swiftly scored two goals within four minutes in the second half to defeat Tranmere 2-0 at Prenton Park. The evening was filled with penalty shootouts across the country, as Ipswich prevailed over Reading, Exeter narrowly outperformed Stevenage, Port Vale emerged victorious against Crewe, Peterborough defeated Portsmouth, Mansfield stunned Sheffield Wednesday, and Bradford overcame Wrexham, all progressing to the third round.
