Six of the best in Albion's Carabao Cup cruise

Stefanos Tzimas (2) and Tommy Watson score on their debuts after Olivier Boscagli, Brajan Gruda and Diego Gomez goals as Albion ease past Oxford United.

Bruce Talbot

2025-08-27T21:45+01:00

Delight for Stefanos Tzimas who scored twice after coming on in the second half. 📷 Paul Hazlewood.

Albion’s strength in depth was evident at the Kassam Stadium as they hit Oxford for six and cruised into the third round of the Carabao Cup.

Fabian Hurzeler changed the entire XI with Carlos Baleba and Matt O’Riley, who started on the bench, the only survivors among Sunday’s starters at Everton. But Albion were in command after scoring twice in the opening 20 minutes through debutant Olivier Boscagli and Brajan Gruda.

Diego Gomez made it 3-0 on the hour before two debutants made their mark.

Delight for Diego Gomez after he made it 3-0 in the second half. 📷 Paul Hazlewood.

Substitute Stefanos Tzimas produced two composed finishes in the space of 11 minutes after coming on and there was still time for another debutant Tommy Watson to curl a shot into the far corner for Albion’s sixth.

Oxford had their moments in an entertaining tie and Jason Steele made several fine stops to preserve the clean sheet.

There could have been goals at both ends in an explosive first 65 seconds. Oxford intercepted an Albion throw and Przemyslaw Placheta’s close-range volley was superbly saved by Steele. Albion broke, but Gomez's thunderous drive was too close to Matt Ingram.

Brajan Gruda celebrates after scoring Albion's second goal. 📷 Paul Hazlewood.

Gruda latched onto James Milner’s pass after 12 minutes and rounded Ingram only to delay as he lined up his shot, enabling Oxford to clear. But seconds later Gruda found Boscagli and the defender waltzed past three challenges before beating Ingram with a shot into the corner that took a deflection on its way in.

Gruda made it 2-0 on 20 minutes with a fine goal. Joel Veltman lifted the ball infield from the right which the German controlled before cutting inside Elliott Moore and lashing a volley high into the net. It was easy for Albion to exploit the gaps in Oxford’s defence and Ingram was forced into action again to save Gruda’s header after Gomez’s cross found him unmarked eight yards out.

Harry Howell made his first start for Albion against the Championship side. 📷 Paul Hazlewood.

Oxford had made mass alterations too, with eight changes to the side beaten 1-0 by Birmingham City on Saturday, and would have got a goal back in the 37th minute but for a fine block by Steele to deny Mark Harris ten yards out. With Boscagli and James Milner running the show, Albion were in control at the break.

After Ferdi Kadioglu had seen two goalbound efforts deflected wide, Albion got a third on the hour when Gruda’s inswinging corner from the right dropped in the six-yard box and Gomez prodded it home.

Steele made two more good stops to keep out Cameron Brannigan’s free-kick and Nik Prelec’s strike either side of a triple Albion change which saw Watson and Tzimas come on for their debuts – and it took the Greek striker just six minutes to make an impact. Gruda’s perceptive pass sent him clear and Tzimas was composure personified as he placed a right-foot shot beyond Ingram before enjoying the adulation of 1,500 delighted Albion fans.

James Milner had an outstanding game in midfield for Albion. 📷 Paul Hazlewood.

Albion – and Tzimas – scented further goals and he made it 5-0 with 13 minutes to go. Harry Howell’s pass found him just inside the box and the 18-year-old unerringly drilled a low shot inside the far post.

Steele made two more saves in the closing stages before Watson made his mark, finding space on the left-hand side of the box before curling a sumptuous finish inside the far post for Albion’s sixth.

The line-up

Steele, Veltman (Kostoulas 77), Coppola, Boscagli, Igor, Kadioglu (Watson 67), Milner (Tasker 77), Hinshelwood (Baleba 67), Howell, Gomez (Tzimas 67). Gruda.