Tottenham Hotspur bounced back from their disappointing Premier League opening defeat in emphatic fashion on Wednesday night, producing a commanding 5-1 victory over Charlton Athletic to book their place in the third round of the Carabao Cup.
After suffering a 3-0 defeat to Brentford at the weekend, Tottenham needed a positive response in front of their home supporters. Roberto De Zerbi’s side delivered exactly that, eventually overwhelming their Championship opponents with five goals at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
The result was not only Tottenham’s first competitive victory of the 2026/27 campaign, but also provided several encouraging signs for De Zerbi. Young winger Mikey Moore opened the scoring, Dominic Solanke doubled the advantage before halftime, Kevin Danso added a third after the break, while new signing Sávio made an immediate impact on his debut by scoring before Ben Davies completed the rout.
Charlton managed to score a late consolation through Lloyd Jones, but by that point the tie was already beyond their reach.
Tottenham started brightly but were forced to remain patient as Charlton defended with plenty of discipline. The visitors arrived in North London with confidence after a strong start to their Championship campaign, and they initially made life difficult for Spurs.
The breakthrough finally came in the 41st minute when Mikey Moore produced a moment of individual quality. The young Tottenham forward found space and unleashed an excellent finish to give the hosts a deserved lead.
The goal immediately lifted the atmosphere inside the stadium, and Tottenham took advantage of the momentum.
Just three minutes later, Solanke doubled the advantage. The striker found the back of the net shortly before halftime, giving Spurs a comfortable 2-0 lead at the interval. It was an important goal for Solanke, who had been searching for a breakthrough after going eight matches without scoring for club and country.
Charlton therefore faced a difficult task in the second half, and Tottenham showed little intention of allowing their opponents back into the contest.
De Zerbi introduced Kevin Danso from the bench, and the defender needed virtually no time to make his presence felt. Danso headed Tottenham’s third goal in the 67th minute, scoring with his first touch of the match and effectively ending any realistic hope of a Charlton comeback.
The biggest talking point of the evening, however, was the debut of Sávio.
The Brazilian winger joined Tottenham from Manchester City during the summer and was introduced from the bench. Despite having only a short period on the pitch, he immediately showed supporters why the club invested heavily in bringing him to North London.
Sávio was lively, confident and direct whenever he received the ball. His pace and dribbling caused constant problems for Charlton’s defence, and his impressive cameo was rewarded with a debut goal in the 83rd minute.
The Brazilian then played a role in Tottenham’s fifth goal only moments later. His effort was deflected into the net off Ben Davies, with the goal eventually recorded as Davies’ strike. Tottenham had suddenly turned a comfortable victory into a five-goal demolition.
Charlton refused to leave without something to show for their efforts and managed to score a consolation goal in the 88th minute. Lloyd Jones headed home to make it 5-1, but there was never any serious danger of Spurs losing control of the contest.
The final whistle confirmed a comprehensive Tottenham victory and a place in the Carabao Cup third round.
For De Zerbi, the performance was particularly welcome after the painful defeat at Brentford. Tottenham looked more confident, created more opportunities and showed greater attacking sharpness as the match progressed.
Mikey Moore’s performance was another positive, while Solanke’s goal could provide the confidence he needs heading into the coming weeks. Danso also made an immediate contribution, but Sávio was arguably the biggest winner of the night.
The Brazilian’s goal and involvement in another strike gave Tottenham supporters an exciting glimpse of what he could offer this season. His ability to attack defenders directly and create opportunities could become an important weapon for De Zerbi.
The victory also sends Tottenham into the third round with renewed confidence. Spurs have already been drawn to face Liverpool in the next stage, setting up a much tougher test against fellow Premier League opposition.
For now, however, Tottenham can enjoy a night that provided exactly the response they needed. Five goals, a convincing cup victory and an impressive debut from Sávio have given the club plenty of reasons for optimism after a difficult opening weekend.
Goal Scorers
Tottenham Hotspur: Mikey Moore 41′, Dominic Solanke 45′, Kevin Danso 67′, Sávio 83′, Ben Davies 85′.
Charlton Athletic: Lloyd Jones 88′.
Tottenham’s 5-1 victory may have come against Championship opposition, but the performance offered an important reminder that this Spurs squad has plenty of attacking quality. The challenge now is to carry that confidence into the Premier League and turn Wednesday night’s cup success into a foundation for a much stronger season.
