Josh Ajala Scores Twice as West Ham Defeats Southampton in Carabao Cup

West Ham United secured a 4-1 victory over Southampton at St Mary’s Stadium in the Carabao Cup second round on Tuesday, August 25, 2026, with 19-year-old Josh Ajala scoring twice on his professional debut.

Southampton opened the scoring early through Leo Scienza in the 10th minute, but West Ham responded before halftime when Ajala headed in a goal following a corner, despite a controversial moment involving a push on a defender. The goal was allowed to stand after the referee's judgment and expert review.

Ajala then doubled West Ham's lead in the 53rd minute by capitalizing on poor defending with a precise finish inside the box. Later, goals from Taty Castellanos in the 75th and Jarrod Bowen in the 84th minute sealed the comprehensive win for West Ham, handing Southampton their first home defeat since January 17.

Former FIFA referee Keith Hackett assessed the contact during Ajala’s first goal, stating, "Not enough for me, to disallow the goal. The referee judged this one correctly, the player goes to ground too easily," according to West Ham Zone.

West Ham manager Nuno Espirito Santo praised his young squad's resilience and Ajala's performance, saying, "I am very proud of my young players and the character and belief they showed. It is important for Josh. He works hard every day in training to get chances in games.

We are delighted he took the opportunity." He also emphasized the need for patience with young players, adding, "With these young lads we have to give them time and understand the process of their development. Winning breeds confidence and it is important now we build momentum from this and keep going."

Southampton defender Tonda Eckert reflected on the match outcome, noting, "It was a very good first half and a very poor second from us. We had chances to go 2-0 up, conceded from a corner and from there we never found a way back into the game. There were some positives but as a team we need to grow and become better in a lot of different aspects."