Nathan Jones watched from the stands as Southampton produced one of the close football results of the midweek action in the Carabao Cup. Josh Windass’ goal in the first half gave Sheffield Wednesday, who are third in League One after 17 games, a well-deserved advantage. However, Southampton tied the score in first-half stoppage time (45+2) when James Ward-Prowse converted a penalty after Moussa Djenepo was fouled in the box. After the break, the home team played better, but they were unable to win in regulation. Stuart Armstrong, a substitute, came the closest, but his long shot hit the crossbar just before the final horn.
The lively South Yorkshire visitors’ disjointed first-half performance, in which they repeatedly threatened and briefly led, would have worried the 49-year-old. Livewire Josh Windass scored the game’s first goal in the 24th minute, firmly beating Alex McCarthy with his sixth goal of the year after being set up by Fisayo Dele-Bashiru. Saints nearly scored a swift equalizer, but David Stockdale of the Owls brilliantly stopped Joe Aribo’s goal-bound header from a James Ward-Prowse free-kick.
Although their hard work on Wednesday was undone in overtime when defender Marvin Johnson dangled a leg to bring down Moussa Djenepo in the box, Saints players escaped an all too common treatment. As soon as referee John Brooks pointed to the spot, captain Ward-Prowse deservedly slammed the penalty down the middle of Stockdale’s goal to alter the game’s dynamic.
Even though defender Michael Ihiekwe twice cleared the ball off the line from substitute Theo Walcott just after the hour mark due to Stockdale’s wayward passing, Darren Moore’s team was not about to concede. Three minutes from time, Saints believed they had won the match, but Stuart Armstrong’s deflected shot hit the crossbar and Duje Caleta-Car was unable to head in the rebound. McCarthy was the game-winner in the penalty shootout, stopping Dominic Iorfa’s attempt to advance the hosts to round four.
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