Kyle Walker delivered the decisive spot‑kick as Burnley survived a dramatic penalty shootout, edging out Notts County 4‑3 after the teams were deadlocked 1‑1 at Turf Moor. The match had seen newly promoted County, fresh off their League Two play‑off triumph over Salford in May, take an early lead through Callum Roberts at the interval. However, Burnley’s Zian Flemming responded quickly in the second half, restoring parity and sending the tie into extra time. When the dead‑heat persisted, the contest moved to penalties.
Burnley's keeper Max Weiss made two crucial saves, denying Notts County’s Emile Acquah and Jacob Bedeau, before Walker stepped up to convert the winning spot‑kick, sealing the Clarets' passage to the Carabao Cup second round. The first‑round action featured a host of other notable results. West Ham United, playing their inaugural fixture after relegation from the Premier League, turned a 1‑0 deficit into a 3‑1 triumph over Portsmouth at the London Stadium. Adrian Segecic opened the scoring for Portsmouth in the first half, but the Hammers rallied before the break with goals from Taty Castellanos and Jarrod Bowen.
Castellanos added a second‑half strike to complete the comeback and restore confidence in the squad ahead of their campaign to bounce back to the top flight. In another tight encounter, substitute Jamal Lowe proved the difference for Sheffield Wednesday, netting the solitary goal in a 1‑0 win against a ten‑man Bolton Wanderers at Hillsborough. The decisive goal arrived midway through the second half after Bolton’s Xavier Simons was dismissed for punching an on‑loan Leeds striker, Harry Gray, in retaliation.
The red card left Bolton shorthanded, and Wednesday capitalised on the numerical advantage. Millwall’s goalkeeper Lukas Jensen was the hero of a penalty shootout at Loftus Road, saving all four of QPR’s attempts as the Lions triumphed 2‑0 in the shootout after a 1‑1 draw in regulation.
Luke Cundle had given Millwall a lead in the second half following a goalkeeper error, only for QPR to equalise via an own‑goal by Mark Sykes late in the game, forcing the match to penalties where Jensen’s heroics proved decisive. Norwich City’s debutant Andre Brooks opened the scoring as the Canaries cruised to a comfortable 4‑1 victory over MK Dons at Carrow Road. Meanwhile, Cardiff City’s substitute Jack Moylan scored on his debut, delivering the winning goal in a 3‑2 comeback win against Swindon Town, a match that also saw Swindon's James Debayo receive a red card for a double‑booking in the final six minutes.
In the Welsh capital, August Priske’s first‑half strike secured a 1‑0 win for Birmingham City at Swansea, while Watford earned a 1‑0 victory over Crawley Town thanks to a spectacular long‑range effort from Marc Bola in added time. Blackburn Rovers also found success, with late substitute goals from Andri Gudjohnsen and Jayden Fevrier securing a 2‑1 win at Burton Albion. Lincoln City, newly promoted to League One, continued their upward trajectory with a 2‑1 win at Derby County, courtesy of first‑half goals from Ben House and Dom Jefferies, though Sammie Szmodics pulled one back for the Rams. At the bet365 Stadium, Stoke City recorded a 2‑0 victory over Oldham Athletic, benefitting from an own‑goal by Ollie Norburn and a late strike from Robert Bozenik.
Bradford City’s duo of Will Swan and Aden Baldwin delivered a 2‑0 home win against Rochdale. Fleetwood Town’s captain Ched Evans scored the only goal of a 1‑0 home win over Chesterfield, while Cambridge United turned the tables on Barnet, winning 2‑1 thanks to second‑half goals from Ben Knight and Isaac Heath. AFC Wimbledon, Barnsley and Reading all progressed after prevailing in penalty shootouts against Newport County, Wigan Athletic and Bromley respectively.
Similarly, Preston North End, Shrewsbury Town and Doncaster Rovers emerged victorious from shootouts against Huddersfield Town, Salford City and Stockport County. Luca Moore’s late strike secured a 2‑1 win for Crewe Alexandra over Accrington Stanley at Gresty Road, and Leyton Orient earned a 2‑0 home win against Oxford United thanks to late goals from Demetri Mitchell and Idris El Mizouni. Peterborough United, Luton Town and Blackpool all recorded away wins, defeating Bristol Rovers, Gillingham and Grimsby Town respectively. In the Championship, Leicester City’s Caleb Okoli headed home the winner in a 1‑0 triumph over Northampton Town.
Evening fixtures saw Southampton claim a 2‑0 victory at Colchester United, with goals from Cyle Larin and Romeo Akachukwu, while West Bromwich Albion enjoyed a 4‑1 rout of Rotherham United and Charlton Athletic secured a 3‑1 win at Cheltenham Town. Looking ahead, the draw for the Carabao Cup second round will be broadcast live on Sky Sports Football on Monday, August 10, during the build‑up to the Plymouth versus Exeter tie. The draw will feature all first‑round victors together with the eleven Premier League clubs not involved in European competition, setting the stage for an exciting continuation of the tournament.
Fans can also participate in the Super 6 promotion for a chance to win £250,000, with free entry available through the competition’s official channels.