West Ham advance in Carabao League Cup after falling behind to AFC Wimbledon

Tuesday evening was shaping up as another West Ham United embarrassment. Thankfully, it turned out not to be the case, as the Hammers came back from behind to beat AFC Wimbledon 3-1 in the second round of the Carabao League Cup.

It was over an hour of frustration and deja vu that Manuel Pellegrini’s side were facing, as four straight defeats culminating in a loss to a League One side would have been horrid early season pressure placed already on the Chilean’s shoulders. And the humiliation would have been further if they lost to a League One side who went down ten men with two yellows for centerback Rob McDonald in the opening 18 minutes.

But relief for Pellegrini came in the 63rd minute, when Issa Diop cancelled Joe Pigott’s inside two minutes’ opener with a fine first West goal from distance for the French youth international centerback.

Diop’s quality score gave the Hammers the necessary moment to take a contest they should always win comfortably. Angelo Ogbonna tapped home from a corner in the 83rd minute for the winner. And then in stoppage time, Javier Chicharito Hernandez capped off a frustrating night for him in much happier fashion with his first goal of the 2018-19 campaign.

The Hammers will hope this second half tonight will lead to a necessary kickstart in the Premier League season on Saturday, when they are home against talented Wolves.