Huddersfield Stuns Sunderland in Penalty Drama to Reach Carabao Cup Third Round

Huddersfield Town secured a 6-5 penalty shootout victory over Sunderland in a tense Carabao Cup second-round clash, eliminating the Premier League side after a 1-1 draw in normal time.

By Chris Posiano

August 27, 2025 at 1:54 AM

8,730 views

Huddersfield Town pulled off a dramatic upset against Sunderland in the Carabao Cup second round, advancing to the third round with a 6-5 penalty shootout win after the match ended 1-1 in regular time. The League One side, managed by Lee Grant, stunned the Premier League Black Cats at the Stadium of Light, where a last-minute equalizer from Marc Guiu forced the contest into extra time and ultimately penalties.

The game began with Huddersfield taking an early lead through Leo Castledine, who scored a stunning first-time volley in the ninth minute. Castledine, a Chelsea loanee, capitalized on a corner from Niall Huggins, sending a powerful strike into the top corner of Anthony Patterson's net. Sunderland, however, fought back with a late equalizer from Marc Guiu, who headed in a cross from Milan Aleksic in the 84th minute to level the score and send the tie to penalties.

The penalty shootout was a nail-biter, with both teams converting their first five kicks. Huddersfield's breakthrough came when Lee Nicholls saved Milan Aleksic's spot-kick, triggering a cascade of errors from Sunderland. The decisive moment arrived in the sudden-death phase, where Nicholls' heroics sealed the Terriers' progression.

Both teams made significant changes to their starting line-ups, with Sunderland's manager Regis Le Bris fielding new signings Nordi Mukiele, Arthur Masuaku, and Guiu. Huddersfield, meanwhile, made 10 adjustments from their previous victory over Stevenage, with Lynden Gooch leading the team as captain. The match was briefly halted for six minutes due to a medical incident in the crowd, adding to the drama of an already intense encounter.

With the win, Huddersfield will face their next challenge in the third round, which includes a live draw on Sky Sports Football following the Grimsby vs. Man Utd match. The fixtures for the upcoming round are set for the weeks commencing September 15 and September 22. Sunderland, now eliminated, will look to regroup as they continue their Premier League campaign.