West Ham United progressed to the second round of the Carabao Cup with a 3-1 victory over Portsmouth at the London Stadium on Saturday, a result that offered a measure of respite amid a turbulent summer. Taty Castellanos scored twice, including a header early in the second half, while Jarrod Bowen added a second goal as the Hammers came from behind to win comfortably.
Sullivan's Presence Fails to Distract
David Sullivan, West Ham's major shareholder and former co-chair, attended the match despite advice from stadium operators to stay away, given serious allegations against him and public opposition. Wearing a black bomber jacket and accompanied by security, Sullivan sat with arms crossed, conspicuous throughout. However, his presence did not provoke the protests seen last season, with only a muted chorus of "Stand up if you hate the board" after the hour mark.
Manager Nuno Espírito Santo downplayed any distraction, stating: "Neither me nor the players... We'll focus on the pitch. The noise that comes from outside cannot distract at all; we're going to find a lot of noise. We focus on the game, they do their job, they did it well."
Match Overview
Portsmouth took a surprise lead in the 30th minute through Adrian Segecic, whose shot deflected off Maximilian Kilman. West Ham responded within 10 minutes, as Mohamadou Kanté set up Castellanos for the equaliser, and Bowen lashed in a second moments later. Early in the second half, Castellanos headed in Bowen's cross to seal the win.
The victory came despite West Ham's summer of upheaval, including the sale of players worth £151m, including Mateus Fernandes, Crysencio Summerville, and Freddie Potts. Joël Veltman, the sole summer signing, made a brief appearance as a late substitute.
Young Talent Emerges
Nuno praised the contribution of young players, including 20-year-old Lewis Orford, who started in midfield alongside Edson Álvarez. "The energy of the young players is really really important for us," Nuno said. "It's up to us to develop the young academy players. That's the vision for the future."
Orford, mentored by Mark Noble, is seen as a potential future regular, following the path of Frank Lampard and Michael Carrick. His performance was a highlight in an otherwise quiet first half.
Portsmouth's Perspective
Portsmouth manager John Mousinho acknowledged West Ham's quality, saying: "If you give them a slight opening they're going to take it." Despite the loss, Portsmouth's 9,000 travelling fans made their presence heard with the Pompey Chimes, though they were drowned out by the home crowd's rendition of I'm Forever Blowing Bubbles.
Looking Ahead
West Ham will face Premier League opposition in the second round, though the draw is yet to be made. Their immediate focus shifts to the Championship opener at Burnley next Sunday. Whether Sullivan will attend remains uncertain, but his presence is unlikely to deter a team showing early promise under Nuno's leadership.
