Cambridge United delivered a stunning blow to Charlton Athletic, knocking them out of the Carabao Cup with a 3-1 victory! The League Two side showed no fear against their Championship opponents, dominating much of the match at the Cledara Abbey Stadium.
U's Dominate Early On
Charlton boss Nathan Jones opted for a completely changed starting XI after their defeat to Leicester City, and Cambridge capitalised. James Brophy opened the scoring, netting his third of the season after a clever cutback from Elias Kachunga. Kylian Kouassi then doubled the lead, outmuscling a Charlton defender before firing past Ashley Maynard-Brewer.
Charlton Fights Back, Briefly
Ibrahim Fullah gave Charlton hope just before half-time with a powerful strike from range. However, Zak Bradshaw quickly restored Cambridge's two-goal advantage in the second half. The Addicks' misery was compounded when Karoy Anderson was sent off late in added time.
Harris Focused on League Two
Cambridge United head coach Neil Harris admitted his primary focus this week was on their upcoming League Two clash against Newport County. Despite the Carabao Cup victory, Harris emphasized the importance of league games. He stated, "Newport is my stronger focus this week...ultimately I want to win league games."
- Brophy's Early Goal: Set the tone for Cambridge.
- Kouassi's Power: Doubled the lead and put Charlton on the back foot.
- Fullah's Strike: A moment of brilliance for Charlton, but not enough.
- Bradshaw's Reaction: Sealed the victory for the U's.
The win marks Cambridge's first victory over Charlton since 1992. CharltonTV subscribers could enjoy live audio commentary of the match, as streaming was unavailable due to EFL broadcast rules. Cambridge will be hoping to carry this momentum into their League Two campaign.