EFL Matchweek 1 Round-Up: 5 Moments You Might've Missed
Matchweek 1 (14-17 August 2026)
The Premier League is still a week away, so this weekend belonged entirely to the Championship, League One and League Two. The opening week of the 2026-27 season produced some decent stuff. Here are 5 things you might have missed from across the EFL.
Never Back the Early Kick Off
League One kicked off with an early classic at the Select Car Leasing Stadium. Jake Richards put Luton ahead inside 6 minutes, but Reading responded in style. Jack Marriott struck in the 8th, 31st and 38th minutes for a first-half hat-trick that put the Royals 3-1 up at the break. Game's done, has to be? Luton came out firing – I don't know what Wilshere said at half-time, but it got the Hatters right up for it. Kasey Palmer levelled it at 3-3 with goals in the 50th and 52nd minutes, and substitute Gideon Kodua settled it with a scrambled finish in the 6th minute of stoppage time. 4-3 to the Hatters, in front of 14,065 fans, and a brutal opening-day lesson for a Reading side that led by 2 goals and still lost.
3 Reds and a 95th-Minute Winner
League Two produced the maddest game of the weekend at Broadfield Stadium. Crawley's former Arsenal and Sunderland keeper Vito Mannone (Yes, he is STILL playing) needed treatment twice inside the first 18 minutes after heavy collisions and did not reappear for the second half. Things got worse from there. Kellan Gordon was sent off in the 51st minute for an off-the-ball clash with Crewe's Joe White, then Malcolm Ebiowei followed him for a second Crawley red in the 64th minute. Crewe were not spared either, with captain Mickey Demetriou sent for an early shower in the 85th minute, leaving 10 men against 9. Across 18 minutes of stoppage time, Josh March headed in the winner in the 95th minute, and 10-man Crewe beat 9-man Crawley 1-0. Crawley boss Colin Kazim-Richards later put the defeat down to their own mistakes, and felt the winner shouldn't have stood.
Jimenez Marks His Return With a Successful Rescue Mission
Friday Night's Championship curtain-raiser at Molineux brought Raul Jimenez back to Wolves for the first time in 3 years, but likely felt somewhat bittersweet in the end. Marshall Munetsi put Wolves ahead in the 18th minute, Sean McLoughlin headed Blackburn level soon after, and Andri Gudjohnsen put the visitors 2-1 up early in the second half. Wolves searched for an equaliser for the rest of the game without luck, until a Jackson Tchatchoua cross controversially (to those in the stands) hit the hand of Ryan Alebiosu. Jimenez, on as a substitute, sent the goalkeeper the wrong way from the spot to make it 2-2 in the 93rd minute, on his first league appearance for Wolves since returning on a free transfer from Fulham.
West Ham Throw Away a 2 Goal Lead
Two of last season's relegated Premier League sides met at Turf Moor, but it was West Ham who we're supposed to be winning this league with their eyes closed. Max Kilman, scoring his first goal for the club, headed them in front after 10 minutes, and Manor Solomon doubled the lead in the 72nd minute to put West Ham firmly in control. Burnley refused to fold. Zian Flemming converted an 83rd-minute penalty after Ollie Scarles fouled Marcus Edwards, then completed his brace 2 minutes into stoppage time as West Ham failed to clear a corner. It meant Burnley avoided what would have been their first home Championship defeat since April 2023. 2-2 was the final score, a familiar story for West Ham's Nuno Espirito Santo, whose side lost 20 points from winning positions in the Premier League last season and have now dropped 2 more just one game into what's meant to be an easy season.
A Dream Debut
Huddersfield Town went top of League One after the opening weekend, and summer signing Derensili Sanches Fernandes made sure everyone noticed him doing it. The new arrival from Excelsior opened the scoring in the 4th minute with a low finish from a Joe Taylor through ball (keeper???), then doubled it with a left-footed curling effort from the right in the 16th minute that turned heads inside the Accu Stadium. Huddersfield led 2-0 before Bali Mumba was sent off in the 29th minute for a needless challenge on Isaac Ogundere, leaving the Terriers to play over 70 minutes with 10 men, a tough ask. Bojan Radulovic, back from injury, added a third in the 78th minute after a driving run from Centre-back Radinio Balker, and Huddersfield saw out a 3-0 win on the opening day.
That's 5 moments worth knowing from the opening EFL weekend of the 2026-27 season. The Premier League joins in next weekend, but for now, this is where the proper football is.
