West Ham United 3-0 Charlton Athletic
Carabao Cup Round Two
West Ham United booked a home Carabao Cup third round tie against Leeds United or Hull City by defeating Charlton Athletic 3-0 on Tuesday night.
The Hammers had too much for their League One opponents, with Sebastien Haller’s quickfire double before the break giving them a commanding position they never seemed likely to relinquish.
Charlton kept the hosts honest, with Jonny Williams and Chuks Aneke bringing saves from Darren Randolph, but West Ham were in control and wrapped up the content with Felipe Anderson’s third goal ten minutes from the end.
The Hammers were much-changed from their Premier League opener against Newcastle United, with only Issa Diop remaining from that XI, but manager David Moyes was still able to call upon a wealth of experience.
The hosts began on the front foot and had an eleventh minute goal disallowed when referee Andre Marriner adjudged Addicks keeper Ben Amos to have the ball under his control before Andriy Yarmolenko scrambled it home.
Seven minutes later, Haller dragged a shot wide when well-placed after good work from Ben Johnson down the right set up the chance.
No matter, as Haller struck from his next two chances to put the Hammers in the driving seat.
First, with 22 minutes on the clock, he nudged home from close range after Yarmolenko timed his run to perfection, allowing him to beat the offside trap and run onto Josh Cullen’s clipped pass in behind to lay across from the Frenchman.
Then, four minutes later, Haller used his strength in the air to meet Robert Snodgrass’ left-footed cross with a towering header back across Amos’ dive and into the far corner.
Williams tested Randolph with a fiercely-struck shot from outside the box with 31 minutes played, while the Hammers keeper had to save from Chuks Aneke and Williams again at the start of the second period.
That flurry just after half-time reminded the hosts that the job wasn’t yet finished, and they went in search of the third that would kill the game off once and for all.
Yarmolenko went close to finding in when he knocked wide when under pressure on his left foot, and Felipe Anderson went one better ten minutes from time to seal his team’s place in round three.
Manuel Lanzini was the goal’s architect, standing his man up inside the box before laying off for the Brazilian to stroke home from 15 yards.
Moyes gave Academy defender Harrison Ashby a debut from the bench in the closing stages, with another youngster Conor Coventry, joining him on the pitch as the Hammers were able to celebrate a job well done.
West Ham United: Randolph, Johnson (Ashby 84), Balbuena, Diop, Masuaku, Snodgrass (Coventry 84), Cullen, Lanzini, Yarmolenko, Haller, Felipe Anderson
Subs: Martin, Alese, Fornals, Bowen, Xande Silva
Goals: Haller 22, 26, Felipe Anderson 80
Booked: Masuaku, Johnson
Charlton Athletic: Amos, Lapslie, Barker, Oshilaja, Purrington, Oztumer, Pratley (Gilbey 77), Levitt, Doughty, Williams (Washington 77), Bonne (Aneke 46)
Subs: Maynard-Brewer, Vennings, Morgan, Forster-Caskey
Referee: Andre Marriner