Match ends, Watford 3, Coventry City 0.
Watford 3-0 Coventry City: Ismaila Sarr scores on his first Watford start
- From the section League Cup
Club record signing Ismaila Sarr marked his first Watford start with a goal to help the Premier League's bottom club overcome League One Coventry in the Carabao Cup second round.
Senegal winger Sarr, who joined the Hornets for a reported fee of more than £25m from Ligue 1 club Rennes, slotted home after Isaac Success' pass.
Daryl Janmaat's first goal since February 2018 doubled the lead, the Dutchman beating Ben Wilson with an arrowed finish.
Venezuelan forward Adalberto Penaranda sealed victory with his first Hornets goal, a spectacular effort from outside the penalty area.
Coventry, who are fifth in the third tier, went close through Callum O'Hare's shot when the tie was goalless.
The Sky Blues were backed by around 3,500 travelling fans at Vicarage Road but they could not replicate their league form which has brought them three wins and two draws from the first five games.
While Coventry are left to reflect on a first defeat of the campaign, Watford's first win of the season eases the pressure on Hornets boss Javi Gracia, who made 11 changes to the side that started the 3-1 defeat to West Ham last Saturday.
His side have failed to register a point in the league but last season's FA Cup finalists produced a professional performance to end a seven-match losing run in all competitions.
Watford boss Javi Gracia: "It is important to have a game like tonight, to compete well and feel a good connection. Now we prepare for a new challenge."
Coventry City boss Mark Robins: "Watford were really good. They freshened it up and made 11 changes from the weekend. We had bodies that probably could have done with a freshen up.
"We tried, we plugged away, but with a little more belief and bravery we could have given them a few more problems."
Line-ups
Watford
- 1Gomes
- 2Janmaat
- 6Mariappa
- 27Kabasele
- 36Foulquier
- 23SarrSubstituted forDele-Bashiruat 72'minutes
- 20Quina
- 14Chalobah
- 22Success
- 37PereyraSubstituted forPeñarandaat 64'minutes
- 10Welbeck
Substitutes
- 5Prödl
- 7Deulofeu
- 8Cleverley
- 17Peñaranda
- 21Femenía
- 24Dele-Bashiru
- 35Bachmann
Coventry
- 13Wilson
- 23DaboBooked at 75mins
- 4Rose
- 15Hyam
- 3MasonSubstituted forMcCallumat 46'minutes
- 38EcclesSubstituted forShipleyat 64'minutes
- 6Kelly
- 17O'Hare
- 33KastaneerSubstituted forGoddenat 61'minutes
- 21Bakayoko
- 11Hiwula-Mayifuila
Substitutes
- 1Marosi
- 5McFadzean
- 10Jobello
- 24Godden
- 25Westbrooke
- 26Shipley
- 31McCallum
- Referee:
- Gavin Ward
- Attendance:
- 12,257
Match Stats
Home TeamWatfordAway TeamCoventry
- Possession
- Home59%
- Away41%
- Shots
- Home17
- Away6
- Shots on Target
- Home5
- Away0
- Corners
- Home5
- Away3
- Fouls
- Home9
- Away7
Live Text
Full Time
Second Half ends, Watford 3, Coventry City 0.
Domingos Quina (Watford) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Jordan Shipley (Coventry City).
Attempt missed. Michael Rose (Coventry City) header from the centre of the box misses to the right. Assisted by Jordan Shipley with a cross following a corner.
Corner, Coventry City. Conceded by Domingos Quina.
Foul by Dimitri Foulquier (Watford).
Jordy Hiwula-Mayifuila (Coventry City) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Corner, Watford. Conceded by Dominic Hyam.
Corner, Coventry City. Conceded by Adrian Mariappa.
Attempt blocked. Callum O'Hare (Coventry City) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked.
Attempt missed. Daryl Janmaat (Watford) right footed shot from the centre of the box is too high. Assisted by Adalberto Peñaranda.
Attempt missed. Adalberto Peñaranda (Watford) right footed shot from the right side of the box is too high.
Attempt saved. Nathaniel Chalobah (Watford) right footed shot from long range on the left is saved in the top centre of the goal.
Booking
Fankaty Dabo (Coventry City) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Isaac Success (Watford) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Foul by Fankaty Dabo (Coventry City).
Attempt missed. Tom Dele-Bashiru (Watford) right footed shot from the centre of the box misses to the left. Assisted by Isaac Success with a through ball.
Substitution
Substitution, Watford. Tom Dele-Bashiru replaces Ismaila Sarr.
Goal!
Goal! Watford 3, Coventry City 0. Adalberto Peñaranda (Watford) right footed shot from outside the box to the top right corner. Assisted by Christian Kabasele with a headed pass.
Attempt missed. Danny Welbeck (Watford) left footed shot from the right side of the box is close, but misses to the left. Assisted by Ismaila Sarr.
Substitution
Substitution, Coventry City. Jordan Shipley replaces Josh Eccles.
Substitution
Substitution, Watford. Adalberto Peñaranda replaces Roberto Pereyra.
Attempt missed. Matt Godden (Coventry City) right footed shot from the centre of the box is too high. Assisted by Fankaty Dabo.
Substitution
Substitution, Coventry City. Matt Godden replaces Gervane Kastaneer.
Domingos Quina (Watford) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Gervane Kastaneer (Coventry City).
Foul by Dimitri Foulquier (Watford).
Gervane Kastaneer (Coventry City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Attempt blocked. Isaac Success (Watford) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked.
Goal!
Goal! Watford 2, Coventry City 0. Daryl Janmaat (Watford) right footed shot from the centre of the box to the top right corner. Assisted by Isaac Success.
Corner, Watford. Conceded by Dominic Hyam.
Attempt blocked. Nathaniel Chalobah (Watford) right footed shot from more than 35 yards is blocked.
Attempt missed. Domingos Quina (Watford) right footed shot from outside the box is high and wide to the right. Assisted by Ismaila Sarr.
Attempt missed. Danny Welbeck (Watford) right footed shot from the centre of the box misses to the left. Assisted by Daryl Janmaat.
Offside, Coventry City. Liam Kelly tries a through ball, but Amadou Bakayoko is caught offside.
Substitution
Substitution, Coventry City. Sam McCallum replaces Brandon Mason.
Second Half
Second Half begins Watford 1, Coventry City 0.
Half Time
First Half ends, Watford 1, Coventry City 0.
Attempt missed. Amadou Bakayoko (Coventry City) header from the centre of the box misses to the left. Assisted by Josh Eccles following a corner.