Second-half double sees Southampton progress in Carabao Cup
Hosts Colchester were beaten in a first-round tie.
Southampton won 2-0 at Colchester in the first round of the Carabao Cup in their first competitive fixture since last season’s Spygate saga erupted.
League Two Colchester put up stubborn resistance but were undone by Cyle Larin’s close-range finish in the 72nd minute and a stoppage-time clincher from fellow substitute Romeo Akachukwu.
The result was welcome news for head coach Tonda Eckert, who could soon be banned for his part in Southampton’s ejection from the play-offs just hours before they were due to contest the final.
The German has been charged with three breaches of FA rules for authorising a club analyst to film rival clubs’ training sessions, including semi-final opponents Middlesbrough, who were reinstated.
Southampton had goalkeeper Daniel Peretz to thank in Essex for a superb triple stop to deny Harry Anderson, twice, and Jack Payne after 20 minutes.
Home goalkeeper Thimothee Lo-Tutala saved from new Saints signing Lewis Dobbin at the other end but Colchester went close again in first-half stoppage time when Jack Tucker’s header was blocked on the line.
The visitors dominated the second period, with Larin volleying narrowly over before breaking the deadlock with 18 minutes remaining. Ryan Manning delivered a bouncing cross from the left that the Canada forward nodded over the line at the back post.
Fellow substitute Akachukwu – on loan at Colchester last season – made sure late on by evading a defender and slotting in a neatly-taken second.