Carabao Cup First Round – August 13, 2025 Recap
The 2025/26 Carabao Cup kicked off with a night of high drama, surprise results and penalty shootout heroics. From Huddersfield Town’s stunning upset over Leicester City to Birmingham City’s gritty win against Sheffield United, football fans were treated to one of the most memorable opening rounds in recent years.
Huddersfield Town Edge Leicester in Nail-Biting Shootout
One of the biggest stories of the night came from the John Smith’s Stadium, where Huddersfield Town knocked out Leicester City after a thrilling 2–2 draw. The tie went to penalties, and Terriers goalkeeper Lee Nicholls emerged as the hero, saving two spot-kicks to secure a famous 3–2 shootout win.
Huddersfield’s resilience shone through as they came from behind twice, proving that in cup football, anything is possible.
Key moments:
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Leicester took an early lead but were pegged back before half-time.
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A frantic second half saw both sides trade goals.
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Nicholls’ penalty heroics sealed the upset.
Birmingham City Overcome Sheffield United in a Tight Encounter
At St Andrew’s, Birmingham City triumphed 2–1 over Premier League side Sheffield United in a tense, tactical battle. Kyogo Furuhashi put the Blues ahead early on, before Gustavo Hamer produced a sensational 50-yard strike to equalise for the Blades.
The decisive moment came late in the game when Jay Stansfield’s deflected effort beat the keeper, sending Birmingham into the second round.
Shootouts Galore – Sheffield Wednesday and Barnsley Progress
Penalty drama wasn’t limited to Huddersfield’s tie. Sheffield Wednesday edged past Bolton Wanderers in a nerve-wracking shootout following a 3–3 draw in normal time.
Barnsley also booked their spot in round two, winning 5–4 on penalties after their clash with Fleetwood Town ended 2–2.
Cheltenham Town Cruise Past Exeter
In one of the night’s more straightforward results, Cheltenham Town defeated Exeter City 2–0, controlling the game from start to finish and showing they could be a dangerous side in this year’s competition.
Carabao Cup First Round – Full Results (August 13, 2025)
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Huddersfield Town 2–2 Leicester City (Huddersfield won 3–2 on pens)
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Birmingham City 2–1 Sheffield United
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Sheffield Wednesday 3–3 Bolton Wanderers (Sheffield Wednesday won on pens)
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Barnsley 2–2 Fleetwood Town (Barnsley won 5–4 on pens)
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Cheltenham Town 2–0 Exeter City
Why This Year’s Carabao Cup Could Be Special
The first round of the Carabao Cup is often seen as a warm-up for bigger clubs, but this year’s competition already feels different. Lower-league sides have shown they can go toe-to-toe with higher-tier opposition, and the number of penalty shootouts on the opening night has injected extra excitement.
Fans can expect more giant-killings, dramatic finishes and surprise stories as the competition progresses.
Key Takeaways
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Huddersfield Town’s upset proves cup magic is alive and well.
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Birmingham City showed resilience against Premier League opposition.
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Penalty shootouts were the theme of the night.
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Lower-league teams are ready to make headlines.