Hammers beat Pompey 3-1 after slow start

EFL Cup First Round

West Ham United (2) 3 Castellanos 43, 50, Bowen 45 

Portsmouth (1) 1 Segečić 32

West Ham United survived an early scare on Saturday to beat Portsmouth in the First Round of the Carabao Cup: 3-1. In front of a nearly full London Stadium Jarrod Bowen and Taty Castellanos did most of the damage to a promising Pompey side.

For the first time in fifteen years West Ham United were required to take part in the First Round of the League Cup. More than 53.000 spectators found their way to the Southern Section-clash against Portsmouth, a new record for this stage of the competition. The 9000 travelling support had all the reasons to sing and cheer in the first half-an-hour. Pompey were the better side against the lacklustre Hammers, playing the ball around with confidence and creating openings. West Ham’s head coach Nuno Espírito Santo could not have been a pleased man when he spoke to his players during the sanitation break - neither were the fans who boo’d loudly at this World Cup-relic.

The dominance of the number 18 of last year’s Championship against the number 18 of last year’s Premier League resulted in four corner kicks. West Ham dealt with the first three, but the fourth cross was headed out towards Adrian Segečić. The Australian’s effort on the half-volley deflected past Mads Hermansen: 0-1. Thirsty and disappointed home fans started to go for their own sanitation break. Some Claret-minds might have gone back to 2011 when the Hammers, still at the beloved Upton Park, lost against lowly Aldershot Town in the first round. Meanwhile the Pompey-contingent was delighted, leading against a strong West Ham-side during their first outing in the former Olympic Stadium.

But an unexpected turnaround arrived before half-time. In West Ham’s first proper attack of the game Mohamadou Kanté showed off Parisian skills on the left wing, crossing the ball perfectly towards Taty Castellanos. The Argentinian striker couldn’t miss: 1-1. It was a hammer blow for the visitors. Two minutes later the home side took the lead when Bowen’s left footed shot from outside the box was diverted past a hapless Nicolas Schmid. This was the West Ham the home fans wanted to see on this sweltering afternoon in Stratford. Having only lost top ace Crysensio Summerville over the summer the Eastenders look for a rapid return to the Premier League and possibly a lively cup run in the Carabao.

Five minutes into the second-half West Ham put the tie to bed when Bowen gave the perfect cross to Castellanos, who headed home in great style. Portsmouth lacked the class for a come-back, while the Hammers relaxed back into a lower gear. The architects of the victory, Bowen and Castellanos, were taken off towards the end, to be replaced by youngster Joshua Ajala and the experienced Dutch signing Joel Veltman, who had come over from Brighton. After the defeat Portsmouth's manager John Mousinho mourned 'the five minutes of madness' before the break. His Portugese collague Espírito Santo was glad with a solid win in front of a big crowd, adding there is 'plenty of work to do',.

West Ham: (4-3-3): Hermansen; Walker-Peters, Kilman, Mavropanos, Scarles; Kante (Ward-Prowse 75), Alvarez (Malick Diouf 75), Orford; Bowen (Ajala 98), Pablo, Castellanos (Veltman 84)

Portsmouth (4-4-2): Schmid; Devlin, Poole, Shaughnessy, Swanson; Le Roux (Marrzi 60), Adams, Robert Shein, Swanson (Bailey 60), Segečić; Bishop (Swift 82), Brooke-Smith (Waddingham 52, (Kenny 60))

Attendance 53.369 

Hopeful West Ham-fans on their way to the London Stadium