EFL Weekly Roundup: Southampton struggle while Pompey dominate
All the action from the week two of EFL football
In a week where elite football returned across Europe, we look at the best moments in a week with 71 league and cup matches throughout the EFL.
Early giant killings in Carabao Cup
11 matches from the first round on Tuesday and Wednesday ended with sides being knocked out by opponents from a lower division. The highlights of the Northern bracket included Championship play-off hopefuls Sunderland being knocked out by League Two Crewe at the Stadium of Light and fellow League Two side Salford also winning on penalties away from home to Preston. Meanwhile, In the Southern section, two promotion favourites fell to fourth tier opposition. Firstly, Southampton were discarded by an exciting looking Gillingham side, and Wimbledon’s last gasp comeback story against Coventry earned them a trip to Stamford Bridge in a few weeks’ time. Reading’s decisive win against Championship side Millwall is also worth highlighting.
Round two fixtures Salford City vs Leeds United and Doncaster Rovers vs Everton will be shown on Sky Sports, with all fixtures taking place on the 29th and 30thAugust.
Eight goal thriller at St Mary’s ends in draw despite Southampton’s domination
Last week saw the championship’s biggest away win from last season equalled, and the highest scoring match from last season equalled on matchday 2 this week. The score was already locked at 2-2 after just 23 minutes, when Gabriel Sara scored the pick of the goals with a stunning strike from the edge of the box. Norwich then restored their initial lead on the stroke of Half-Time thanks to Sara turning into the creator for Jack Rowe unmarked; Southampton’s set piece problems showing themselves for a second week straight.
Despite the high scoreline, only one player appeared on the scoresheet more than once. Adam Armstrong with two penalties, the latter of which looked to have rescued a point after Norwich sub Christian Fassnacht looked to have secured a win for the canaries in 84th minute. After his goal from last week, Adam Armstrong is already having his best season since leaving Blackburn for the Saints in 2021.
Coventry dominate in Play off semi-final rematch
Losing by conceding twice in the dying minutes of a cup tie to a side two divisions below is a difficult pill to swallow, but Coventry weren’t going to let that play on their mind. Middlesbrough travelled to the West Midlands and both teams were looking to secure their first points of the season. After 11 minutes, Matty Godden established the lead for Coventry, after a shot from Josh Eccles deflected to him from 6 yards out. Despite continue to trouble the Boro backline, the score remained 1-0 into half time.
Gustavo Hamer became the second name to leave Coventry for a big fee this summer, but the Sky Blues didn’t look like a side on the back foot. Perhaps due to the immediate impact Haji Wright had from the bench. After Boro had somehow not equalised a series of chances, namely Silvera’s 1-on-1 from a similar position to Godden’s opener, Wright struck a low volley towards the crowded goal and placed it into the right side of the net after just four minutes on the pitch.
Morgan Rogers continued to be menace for Coventry’s defence, but a deflection in 91st minute wrong-sided Seny Dieng and put Coventry three goals to the good, and left Boro rooted to the bottom of the table. Fortunately for Carrick’s side, next weeks sees them host another side yet to score points in Huddersfield Town.
Wycombe make it back to back 3-0 defeats
Wycombe haven’t been the same side since long-time manager Gareth Ainsworth left for QPR in February, but things have gone from bad at the end of last season, to horrendous to kick off this season. Unlike last week, Wycombe weren’t behind within seconds of kick-off. But after Hackett-Fairchild opened the scoring in the 68thminute, the goals started flowing.
A goal and two near-identical assists from Daniel Mandriou in 17 minutes, gave Lincoln their first win of the season and recovered their GD after a 3-0 loss to Bolton last weekend. Meanwhile, Wycombe are in similar position to Middlesbrough going into the next seven days, with matches against 22nd placed Leyton Orient and 21st placed Burton Albion on Tuesday and Saturday respectively.
Portsmouth and Newport secure four goal victories
Pompey and Newport joined Watford, Barnsley and Sutton as side to win a match this season by at least four goals. Portsmouth’s lead came from a well-placed shot from Marlon Pack that lacked power but was unreachable by Orient’s defence as it bounced in off the far post. Goals from Colby Bishop and Kusini Yengi as well as an own goal from Omar Beckles saw Portsmouth run out with a big GD boost, in a match where the stats suggest a lot more even affair.
Newport were already 3-0 up by the time Pompey opened their account. Early goals from Seb Palmer-Houlsen, Will Evans and another own goal, this time from Richard Wood, had the game put to bed by the 21st minute. A second goal from Will Evans in the opening minutes of the second half was the final goal of the day at Rodney Parade. Newport look like a team reenergised after their disappointing campaign last season, while Doncaster look like a team out of their depth ever since their collapse began in February of last year.
The next EFL weekly roundup will feature action from sixty one matches, including two matchdays from League One and League Two, and an outstanding EFL Cup Round One tie. Out next Monday at 10am.
