Carabao Cup 1st Round results: Top stories, scores, and upsets as teams qualify for 2nd Round draw 2022/23
The first round of the 2022/23 Carabao Cup is underway after 27 duels with winners from the championship, first division and second division were played on August 9th.
With games tied after 90 minutes and going straight to penalties, much drama unfolded as lower division teams looked to have a magic run in the League Cup this season.
With some of the bigger sides in England set to join the fun in round two, and last season’s top seven Premier League sides competing in round three – including 2021/22 competition winners Liverpool – already laid the foundation for another fascinating Carabao Cup campaign.
Norwich City v Birmingham: Canaries advance on penalties
After being relegated from the Premier League last season and starting the 2022/23 league season without a win, the pressure had mounted on Norwich City manager Dean Smith.
A first-round penalty shoot-out win over Birmingham in the Carabao Cup will not have eased those worries.
The hosts were 2-0 up at half-time thanks to goals from Danel Sinani and Jacob Sorensen, but again gave away their lead too easily, conceding twice in the second half when the visitors forced penalties in Birmingham.
Norwich eventually won the shootout 4-2, although the pressure remains on Smith for now.
Huddersfield vs. Preston: Terrier battles continue
Two defeats out of two in the league, plus a long list of intriguing off-field decisions and departures of key players this summer have poisoned the air around John Smith’s Stadium.
The visit of fellow Championship team Preston in the first round of the Carabao Cup only added to the negativity as the Lancashire side clinched a comfortable 4-1 win in West Yorkshire.
A brace from Ali McCann in the first half did the damage, with Troy Parrott and Brad Potts also scoring for the visitors.
Bradford hits back to anger Hull
When Hull’s Turkey midfielder Ozan Tufan saw his 25-yard shot spectacularly saved at the woodwork by Bradford goalkeeper Harry Lewis, he probably regretted a fantastic vaulting performance that had kept the game scoreless.
Instead, the ball hit the bar before being deflected by Lewis to find its way into the back net as the championship side took an early lead at Valley Parade. With a return of four points from two impressive league performances and a two-league lead over the hosts, many would have thought the lead was unlikely to be broken.
Bradford’s Andy Cook, however, had other ideas. The forward first nodded a cross into the top corner before using a clever corner routine to blast another try deep into the Hull net as the Bantams went 2-1 at half-time.
A frantic second half proved goalless, sending Bradford – who reached the competition final as fourth tier side in 2012/13 – into the second round for the second time in seven seasons.
Exeter embarrass Cheltenham out of League One
Cheltenham Town became the first team in club history to reach the third round of the League Cup last season. When they picked up a home game against Exeter City from the league this season, they were confident of progressing.
Instead, Exeter’s visit went 7-0 with a result that no one could have predicted before the start of the round as they dominated their division rivals.
The Greeks were 5-0 up at half-time before Harry Kite and Josh Coley really rubbed salt in Cheltenham’s wounds in the second half.
Newport, Portsmouth and Stevenage are all making waves
Like Bradford, League Two’s Newport County shocked their Championship opponents in round one as the Welsh side beat Luton Town 3-2 at Kenilworth Road. James Rowberry’s side came from behind twice to win their first game of the season.
It was a less than impressive night for Welsh club Cardiff City, who were routinely defeated 3-0 at home to Portsmouth. The League One side scored three goals in 15 minutes of the second half to knock their Championship hosts out of contention.
An 89th-minute Danny Rose winner also ensured League Two’s Stevenage won a sizeable scalp in round one as they beat champions club Reading 2-1 at the Madejski Stadium. The visitors took the lead early in the game before being pushed back after half-time, but Rose came on late as Stevenage reached the second round of the competition for the second straight season.
Results of the 1st round of the Carabao Cup
| date | result |
| August 2nd | CambridgeUnited 1-0 Millwall |
| August 9th | Shrewsbury city 3-2 Carlisle United |
| August 9th | Blackpool 0-0 carts (3-4 on pins) |
| August 9th | Accrington Stanley 2-2 Tranmere Rover (11-12 on pins) |
| August 9th | AFC Wimbledon 0-2 Gillingham |
| August 9th | Northampton City 1-2 Wycombe Walker |
| August 9th | OxfordUnited 0-0 Swansea City (5-3 on penalties) |
| August 9th | Rochdale 2-0 Burton Albions |
| August 9th | Cheltenham Town 0-7 Exeter city |
| August 9th | Charlton Athletic 1-1 QPR (5-3 on pins) |
| August 9th | Morecambe 0-0 Stoke City (5-3 on penalties) |
| August 9th | Mansfield Town 1-2 Derby County |
| August 9th | Bradford City 2-1 Hull City |
| August 9th | Crawley City 1-0 Bristol Rovers |
| August 9th | Huddersfield Town 1-4 Preston north end |
| August 9th | Ipswich Town 0-1 Colchester United |
| August 9th | City of Grimsby 4-0 Crewe Alexandra |
| August 9th | Bolton Wanderers 5-1 Salford City |
| August 9th | Norwich City Birmingham City 2-2 (4-2 on penalties) |
| August 9th | Harrogate Town 0-1 County Stockport |
| August 9th | Doncaster Rovers 0-3 Lincoln City |
| August 9th | Luton Town 2-3 Newport County |
| August 9th | MK Dons 1-0 Sutton United |
| August 9th | forest green 2-0 Leyton Orient |
| August 9th | Fleetwood 1-0 Wigan Athletic |
| August 9th | Cardiff City 0-3 Portsmouth |
| August 9th | wallall 2-0 Swindon Town |
| August 9th | Reading 1-2 stevenage |