Van Hecke’s seamless Spurs debut highlights Tottenham’s League Cup surge

On Wednesday evening Jan Paul van Hecke made his official home debut for Tottenham Hotspur in a League Cup tie, as the North London side dispatched Charlton Athletic and booked a place in the competition’s third round.

Van Hecke’s debut under the spotlight

The Dutch defender’s first appearance at the Tottenham Stadium was largely uneventful; he remained in the dressing room while teammate Micky van de Ven cleared a ball away. Despite the low profile, the match offered a glimpse of the North Hollander’s composure on a big stage.

Tottenham’s attacking intent was evident from the start. Mikey Moore and Dominic Solanke each found the net before the break, giving the visitors a comfortable 2‑0 lead at halftime.

Cup progress for other clubs

Charlton Athletic struggled to match the home side’s intensity, conceding goals to Kevin Danso and debutant Sávio before Lloyd Jones salvaged a consolation. The defeat sent Charlton back across the Thames, ending their cup run.

Elsewhere in the draw, Newcastle United, Everton and Bradford City also advanced, adding further intrigue to the competition.

Newcastle’s second‑round clash saw West Bromwich Albion strike first through Isaac Price, only for the Magpies to turn the tide via Bazoumana Touré and a late winner from Harvey Barnes.

Everton’s victory was highlighted by Thierno Barry’s hat‑trick and a fourth goal from Brennan Johnson, marking what the club hopes could be its first silverware since 1995.

Burnley’s campaign ended early, while at Valley Parade a goalless 90 minutes led to a penalty shoot‑out. Zian Flemming scored from eleven metres, but two teammates missed; the Bantams converted all their spot‑kicks to move into the third round.