EFL Cup REVIEW 25 Aug 2026: Brentford Hit Six as Hull and Orient Win EFL Cup Shootouts

Brentford produced the night's biggest scoreline, winning 6-1 away at Birmingham in the EFL Cup second round. Callum Wilson, signed on a free transfer from relegated West Ham, marked his full debut with the opener inside six minutes, a shot that took a deflection off Birmingham's Dael Fry. Demarai Gray levelled for the hosts before Aaron Hickey and Nathan Collins struck in quick succession before the break to put Brentford 3-1 up, and further goals from Mikkel Damsgaard and Igor Thiago were followed by a second for Collins in the closing stages to complete the rout. It ended a run in which Brentford had gone six previous meetings without beating Birmingham, the last of them a goalless draw more than five years ago.

Two ties went to penalties after goalless nights. Stoke and Hull drew 1-1 through Robert Bozenik and Kieran Dowell, but Hull won the shootout 5-4 to progress, coming off the back of a 2-0 Premier League win over Manchester United three days earlier. At Walsall, Leyton Orient held out for a goalless 90 minutes and then won the shootout 6-5, with goalkeeper Noah Phillips saving twice to be the shootout hero. Richie Wellens's Orient side go through to the third round.

Elsewhere the goals flowed freely. Peterborough thumped Watford 5-1, an early own goal by Watford's J. Clarridge followed by a Harry Leonard double either side of half-time, with Mahamadou Doumbia's reply the only consolation for the hosts. West Ham came from behind at Southampton, Leo Scienza's tenth-minute opener wiped out by a Joshua Ajala brace either side of half-time before Taty Castellanos and Jarrod Bowen completed a 4-1 win. Coventry led 2-0 inside five minutes at Plymouth through Taiwo Awoniyi and Jack Rudoni, were pegged back to 2-2 by Oliver Irow and Xavier Amaechi, then scored twice more through Ephron Mason-Clark and a Victor Torp penalty to win 4-2. Lincoln City won 4-1 at Blackpool, who had Zac Ashworth sent off in the 52nd minute, Blackpool's only reply coming from Leighton Clarkson before the break.

Barnsley came from behind to beat Crewe 3-2, Reyes Cleary's 29th-minute equaliser followed two minutes later by Tyrese Noslin's winner, with Corey O'Keeffe adding a third before Joel Ewusi's late reply for Crewe proved too little. In the rest of Tuesday's ties, Middlesbrough won 3-1 away at Doncaster, Norwich City won 2-1 at Cardiff, Wolves won 2-0 at Sheffield Wednesday, Leeds won 2-0 at Nottingham Forest, Millwall won 1-0 at Cambridge, Reading won 3-0 at Stevenage, Ipswich beat Leicester 3-1, Fleetwood Town beat Shrewsbury 4-0, and Sheffield United won 2-1 at Blackburn.