Southampton 2-0 Colchester: five takeaways as Larin and Akachukwu seal cup progress | OneFootball

Southampton opened their 2026/27 season with a composed 2-0 win over League Two Colchester United in the Carabao Cup, progressing with ease.

Daniel Peretz preserved parity with a superb triple save at 0-0, before late goals from Cyle Larin and academy forward Romeo Akachukwu sealed it. Sainstmarching.com highlights five takeaways from the tie.

Tonda Eckert started Ben Brereton Diaz, but the Chilean struggled and Lewis Dobbin lacked service. As it stands, Brereton Diaz and Damion Downs do not convince, with Larin fit, the club seeking a striker, and Divine Mubama looking likely to join on loan.

Peretz underpinned last season’s revival with only one league defeat from January. On his first start as a permanent signing he delivered again, and is going to continue to bail them out when they need him most.

Spygate, which saw Southampton expelled from the May 2026 play-offs, initially split opinion. After Chairman Dragan Solak’s public backing, the away end looked united, sold out and chanting for Eckert. Bigger Championship venues could be hostile, and it is fortunate Oxford United and Ipswich Town are not in the same division after late spying revelations.

Akachukwu, 20, impressed in pre-season and netted his first senior Saints goal, chopping past a defender then sliding home against his former loan club. After Tyler Dibling in 2024/25 and Cam Bragg in 2025/26, next year could be his turn. Watford at Vicarage Road awaits next.

Source: Sainstmarching.com

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