Leeds beat Forest again to reach League Cup third round

Leeds United secured their place in the League Cup third round by defeating Premier League rivals Nottingham Forest 2-0 at the City Ground. This win came just four days after Leeds had beaten Forest 1-0 in their league encounter.

Dan James broke the deadlock in the 50th minute with a shot into the top left corner. The lead was extended in the 75th minute following a scramble in front of goal, which resulted in an own goal initially credited to Neco Williams but later awarded to James Justin. The exact scorer remains debated, but the outcome secured Leeds' progression.

In other League Cup matches, Premier League side Brentford delivered a commanding performance, crushing second-tier Birmingham City 6-1. Brentford led 3-1 at halftime, with goals from Callum Wilson, Aaron Hickey, and Nathan Collins. Demarai Gray had initially equalized for Birmingham. The second half saw further goals from Mikkel Damsgaard, Igor Thiago, and a second for Collins, completing the rout.

Promoted teams Coventry City and Ipswich Town also advanced comfortably against lower-ranked opponents. Coventry beat League One side Plymouth Argyle 4-2, despite conceding twice after an early two-goal lead. Ipswich won 3-1 at home against Leicester City. Hull City required a penalty shootout to overcome Championship side Stoke City after their match ended 1-1.