Tottenham 5-1 Charlton: EFL Cup report, result, goals as Savio gets off the mark on debut

Savio scored a debut goal as Tottenham cruised into the third round of the EFL Cup with a 4-0 win over Charlton Athletic

Having been battered 3-0 by Brentford in their Premier League opener last Saturday, Spurs needed a positive result to build momentum for Roberto De Zerbi’s side.

And, after a 41st-minute rocket from Mikey Moore gave Tottenham the lead, the victory was never in doubt.

Dominic Solanke doubled the advantage soon after, and Kevin Danso headed home a third as Tottenham ultimately had far too much for their London neighbours.

The crowning moment game as Savio, a second-half substitute after completing his move from Manchester City for an initial £75million, cut in from the right and marked his debut by getting on the scoresheet.

Savio looked to have a second when a deflected effort beat Tiernan Brooks, but the goal was awarded to team-mate Ben Davies. Lloyd Jones pulled one back for Charlton late on to give them something to celebrate.

Charlton, who lost defender Collins Sichenje to an injury in the first half as he was taken off on a stretcher, had chances to take a shock lead, with Antonin Kinsky forced to repel a drive from Greg Docherty and Nathan Asiimwe heading narrowly wide.

They were punished for not taking them as Moore cut in from the right and unleashed an unerring strike to which Brooks had no answer.

Solanke then fired home on the turn to give Charlton a mountain to climb after the Addicks failed to clear their lines from another Spurs attack.

Archie Gray drew a fine save from Brooks as Spurs pressed for a third, which arrived when Danso headed home from a Matheus Fernandes free-kick two minutes after his introduction.

Savio came on in the 71st minute and was also swift in making an impact as he lashed home from just inside the area.

Only a flick off the hip of team-mate Davies prevented Savio from doubling his tally as the rout continued, but Jones at least got Charlton on the scoresheet by heading through the legs of Kinsky from a corner.

Tottenham team vs Charlton

Spurs made five alterations from their side who started their defeat at Brentford in the Premier League four days earlier, bringing in Destiny Udogie and captain Ben Davies in defence, £85 million midfield signing Matheus Fernandes, winger Rodrigo Bentancur and striker Dominic Solanke.

Andy Robertson, Conor Gallagher and Richarlison moved to the bench, joined by wideman Savio, who signed from Manchester City for an initial £75m on Tuesday. Sandro Tonali and Marcos Senesi were not involved.

Tottenham starting XI: Antonin Kinsky, Jan Paul van Hecke, Mathys Tel, Destiny Udogie, Archie Gray, Lucas Bergvall, Matheus Fernandes, Dominic Solanke, Rodrigo Bentancur, Ben Davies, Mikey Moore

Spurs substitutes: Martin Dubravka, Andy Robertson, Kevin Danso, Conor Gallagher, Richarlison, Savio, Pedro Porro, Micky van de Ven, Luca Williams-Barnett

Charlton Athletic full line up vs Spurs

Charlton head coach Nathan Jones made 10 changes from his side’s win at West Ham, only retaining centre-back Billy Koumetio in his starting line-up.

Goalkeeper Tiernan Brooks and midfielder Timothy Ouma made debuts. Academy winger Bradley Tagoe, 18, was on the bench for the first time.

Charlton starting XI: Tiernan Brooks, Harvey Knibbs, Greg Docherty, Billy Koumetio, Timothy Ouma, Ivan Mesik, Millennium Alli, Collins Sichenje, Rob Apter, Nathan Asiimwe, Micah Mbick

Charlton substitutes: Arthur Okonkwo, Lloyd Jones, Conor Coventry, Miles Leaburn, Sonny Carey, Dan McNamara, Joe Rankin-Costello, Alan Mwamba, Bradley Tagoe

Tottenham v Charlton: Carabao Cup stats

• This was the first encounter between the teams since an FA Cup third round tie at Tottenham’s former home of White Hart Lane in January 2011
• Jermain Defoe scored twice and Andros Townsend also netted in Spurs’ 3-0 win on that occasion, knocking out a Charlton side who were in the third tier at the time
• That was part of Tottenham’s current three-match winning run in games at home to Charlton since a 3-2 home defeat in the Premier League in November 2004, when Charlton were on a six-game unbeaten run away to Spurs across 14 years
• Spurs had won 29 of the 55 previous meetings between these teams, with Charlton prevailing on 16 occasions and 10 draws
• Tottenham last exited in the EFL Cup in the second round when they lost to a London club in 2023/24, suffering defeat on penalties at Fulham following a 1-1 draw in which Micky van de Ven scored an own goal and Richarlison equalised
• Since a 2-0 home win in the Premier League in March 2005, Charlton had lost all five of their subsequent meetings with Spurs in all competitions
• Charlton have twice reached the quarter-finals in their furthest runs in the EFL Cup, most recently losing 3-0 at Manchester United at that stage in January 2023
• That was the only occasion across the last 10 seasons when the Addicks have gone beyond the second round, including a 3-1 defeat at Cambridge United at that stage last season
• Before this match, almost five hours of football had passed between the teams since a Charlton player last scored in a game against Tottenham, Jerome Thomas netting a consolation in a 3-1 defeat at Spurs in February 2006

What’s next? Tottenham, Charlton fixtures

Tottenham are next in action at home to Newcastle in the Premier League on Saturday, shortly after Charlton host Preston North End in the Championship.

Full Carabao Cup schedule 2026/27

Here’s the schedule for this season’s competition after the second round, including the weeks in which each round will take place.

The final is on Sunday, March 21, 2027.