Huddersfield Town twice came from behind to stun Leicester City on penalties and seal a second-round Carabao Cup clash with Sunderland.
The League One side held their nerve in a dramatic shootout to continue their unbeaten start under Lee Grant.
Terriers Show Spirit in Cup Upset
In a tightly contested first half at the Accu Stadium, Leicester enjoyed periods of control but struggled to create clear-cut openings. Huddersfield had the best shout for a penalty when Ben Nelson appeared to foul Ruben Roosken, but the referee waved play on.
It was the Championship side who struck first after the break. Hamza Choudhury’s thunderous effort on 54 minutes flew past Lee Nicholls, marking only his second senior career goal. The midfielder’s evening took a turn soon after when he conceded a penalty for a foul on Dion Charles. Although Jakub Stolarczyk saved Charles’ spot-kick, Daniel Vost reacted quickest to bury the rebound in the 65th minute.
Leicester responded swiftly. Just three minutes later, Stephy Mavididi’s pass found Harry Winks, whose curling strike restored the Foxes’ lead. Yet Huddersfield refused to fold, and with 14 minutes left, substitute Cameron Ashia levelled in style, smashing a superb finish beyond Stolarczyk to force penalties.
Nicholls the Hero in the Shootout
In the decisive spot-kicks, Alfie May, Leo Castledine and Lasse Sorensen all converted for Huddersfield. Nicholls saved from Jordan Ayew and Kasey McAteer, while Bilal El Khannous struck the post, handing the Terriers a 3-2 win.
The victory capped another encouraging display from a much-changed Huddersfield line-up. Grant made nine alterations from the side that started their last league outing, yet the performance level remained high. The result continues a bright opening to the campaign, with the Terriers now unbeaten in three matches in all competitions.
For Leicester, relegated from the Premier League last season, the result will sting given their superior resources and strong line-up. However, they contributed to an entertaining tie and will look to regroup ahead of their next Championship fixture.
Huddersfield’s reward is a home tie against Sunderland in the second round, offering another chance to test themselves against top-flight opposition.
Writer’s View
This was the kind of night that builds belief in a squad. Huddersfield’s resilience, particularly against a team of Leicester’s calibre, will give Grant confidence that his side can compete with higher-tier opponents. Nicholls’ penalty heroics rightly grabbed the headlines, but the contributions of Vost and Ashia in open play were equally decisive.
The ability to make wholesale changes without losing cohesion is a positive sign for the challenges ahead. With Sunderland next, the Terriers have earned the right to dream of another upset.
