August 09, (THEWILL) – Southampton’s Carabao Cup campaign got off to a dreadful start as the Saints suffered a shock 3-1 defeat away at Gillingham on Tuesday night.
The League Two side pulled off an upset victory over their Championship opponents, with goals from Ashley Nadesan, Robbie McKenzie and an own goal, sealing a memorable win for the Gills. Southampton manager, Ralph Hasenhuttl, named a much-changed side from the one that beat Sheffield Wednesday on Friday, making 11 alterations to his starting XI.
The gamble backfired as Gillingham took an early lead through Nadesan before doubling their advantage through McKenzie after the break. The Championship outfit improved after going behind but could not capitalise on their chances, with Sekou Mara hitting the bar and Moussa Djenepo forcing a good save. However, the League Two side remained resilient and McKenzie grabbed his second to put the result beyond doubt.
Southampton finally got on the scoresheet late on through substitute Carlos Alcaraz but it only served as a consolation on an otherwise hugely disappointing night for the visitors. Neither Joe Aribo, who played 45 minutes, nor Paul Onuachu, who was in action for 22 minutes, did enough to affect the result. The defeat ends any hopes of a extended cup run for Southampton this season.
Gillingham manager, Neil Harris, will be delighted with his side’s performance as they eliminated a side two divisions above them. The Gills showed plenty of spirit and determination to hold off their more illustrious opponents and earn a memorable cup scalp.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
