League Cup first round: Sheffield United overcome Wrexham as West Brom stunned by League Two’s Fleetwood

It was an action-packed night in the Carabao Football League Cup, with over 100 goals scored in 32 matches!

Red cards, penalties, and rude comments from the goalkeeper: Tuesday was everything.

Several of the EFL’s top clubs were in action, including Sheffield United, West Bromwich Albion and Watford, as 64 teams battled to reach the second round of the competition.

While some big favourites, such as Blackburn Rovers, got the better of their opponents without any problems, others had it harder.

Here’s a recap of Tuesday’s Carabao Cup matches…

Carlisle 0-2 Stoke

Seventeen-year-old debutant Freddie Anderson opened the scoring on a night he will never forget, before Emre Tezgel sealed victory for Stoke with just over ten minutes remaining.

Transfer Market 1-6

Sammie Szmodics scored twice, while Andi Weimann, Yuki Ohashim, Makhtar Gueye and Jack Vale also found the net as Blackburn beat Stockport 6-1.

Bristol City 0-1 Coventry

Substitute Ellis Simms scored the 65th-minute winner as Coventry beat Championship rivals Bristol City 1-0.

Cambridge 1-2 QPR

Michael Frey and Paul Smyth led QPR to a 2-1 victory at Cambridge.

Cardiff 2-0 Bristol Rovers

Goals from Mark McGuinness and Rubin Colwill saw Cardiff beat Bristol Rovers 2-0 to secure a place in the second round.

Fleetwood 2-1 West Brom

Fleetwood produced the surprise of the night with a 2-1 win against Championship West Brom.

The Baggies took an early lead through Modou Faal, but League Two Town completed a stunning comeback thanks to goals from Ryan Graydon and Ronan Coughlan.

Norwich 4-3 Stevenage

Stevenage drew twice at Norwich, but second-half goals from Borja Sainz and Onel Hernandez secured a thrilling 4-3 victory for the Championship Canaries.

Oxford Utd 2-0 Peterborough

First-half goals from Tyler Goodrham and debutant Matt Phillips gave promoted Championship side Oxford a 2-0 League Cup win over League One side Peterborough.

Portsmouth 0-1 Millwall

Romain Esse’s fine strike saw Millwall win 1-0 against Portsmouth to take the Lions into the second round of the League Cup for the first time in three years.

Preston 2-0 Sunderland

Goals from Ryan Ledson and Mads Frokjaer secured Preston a 2-0 victory over Sunderland in their first game since the shock departure of manager Ryan Lowe.

Swansea 3-1 Gillingham

Swansea booked their place in the second round with a 3-1 triumph over 10-man Gillingham at the Swansea.com Stadium.

Watford 5-0 MK Dons

Tom Ince scored a hat-trick as Watford defeated MK Dons 5-0, continuing Tom Cleverley’s side’s fine start to the early stages of the 2024/25 season.

Sheffield United 4-2 Wrexham

Sheffield United came from a 1-0 deficit to secure a comfortable 4-2 win over Wrexham at Bramall Lane. Will Boyle gave the Welsh side the lead, but Auston Trusty, a Lewis Brunt own goal, Louie Marsh and Anis Slimane gave United control before Seb Revan scored one, sparking some added-time jostling.

Birmingham beat League One rivals as Derby come back

Kayden Jackson scored his first Derby objective as they came back to overtake Chester Field Italian:

Armando Dobra gave Chesterfield the lead, but Liam Thompson equalised before Jackson won in the second half.

A miracle strike by Brandon Khela gave Birmingham a 1-0 victory at The CharltonSubstitute Ellis Simms scored the 65th-minute winner as Coventry beat their Championship rivals City of Bristol 1-0 while Swan were comfortable 3-1 winners at home against Gillingham.

The New Boys of the Football League Bromley took the lead in his first Carabao Cup match against AFC Wimbledon thanks to Levi Amantchi, but Josh Kelly and Joe Pigott gave the visitors a 2-1 victory.

League Two Harrogate produced an unexpected 2-1 victory in League One Lincoln with second-half goals from Sam Folarin and James Daly.

Matt Macey saved penalties from Kelvin Ehibhatiomhan and Amadou Mbengue while Colchester hit Reading on penalties after a 2-2 draw.

There were also victories on penalties for Bolton, Grimsby, Shrewsbury, Walsall and Barnsley. Leyton Orient, Barrow, Blackpool, Crawley, Huddersfield, Wycombe, Oxford, Rotherham, Doncaster and Tranmere. They also passed to the second round.

Charlton 0-1 Birmingham

Leyton Orient 4-1 Newport County

Barrow 3-2 Port Vale

Bolton 1-1 Mansfield (5-4 on penalties)

Bromley 1-2 Wimbledon

Burton 0-4 Blackpool

Colchester 2-2 Reading (4-3 penalties)

Crawley 4-2 Swindon

Derby 2-1 Chesterfield

Grimsby 1-1 Bradford (9-8)

Huddersfield 3-0 Morecambe

Lincoln 1-2 Harrogate

Northampton 0-2 Wycombe

Rotherham 2-1 Crewe

Salford 0-2 Doncaster

Shrewsbury 3-3 Notts County (4-3 penalties)

Tranmere 3-0 Accrington

Walsall 1-1 Exeter (4-3 penalties)

Wigan 1-2 Barnsley