Despite falling behind during a sluggish opening half-hour at the London Stadium, Nuno Espírito Santo’s side responded in emphatic fashion, producing one of their most complete attacking displays of the summer. The turnaround was driven by captain Jarrod Bowen, striker Valentin “Taty” Castellanos, and emerging midfield talent Mohamadou Kante, whose performances highlighted the quality West Ham possess despite last season’s disappointment.
The match attracted a record Carabao Cup crowd, with supporters from both clubs creating an electric atmosphere. Portsmouth, however, started brighter on the pitch. Their direct approach unsettled the Hammers, and the visitors deservedly opened the scoring after forcing mistakes inside the West Ham defence.
The goal exposed familiar defensive issues that plagued the club during last season’s relegation campaign. A loose clearance and slow reaction allowed Portsmouth to capitalize, with the effort taking a cruel deflection beyond goalkeeper Mads Hermansen.
Rather than allowing the setback to damage their confidence, West Ham responded exactly as promotion contenders should.
The equaliser arrived through an excellent piece of midfield play from Mohamadou Kante, who burst through the centre before creating space for Castellanos. The Argentine striker made no mistake, calmly finishing to bring the Hammers level and completely change the momentum of the contest.
Only minutes later, Bowen produced another reminder of his quality. The captain collected the ball outside the area before curling a trademark left-footed effort beyond the goalkeeper, with a slight deflection helping the strike into the corner.
From that moment onward, West Ham controlled proceedings.
The third goal showcased exactly why many believe the Hammers possess one of the strongest attacking units in the Championship. Kyle Walker-Peters launched a rapid counterattack before Bowen delivered a superb cross from the right, allowing Castellanos to power home his second goal of the afternoon.
The combination play, pace, and movement offered a glimpse of what Nuno Espírito Santo hopes his side can consistently produce throughout the campaign.
While improvements are still needed—particularly in defence—the attacking quality available to West Ham could prove decisive over the course of a demanding 46-game Championship season.
Recruitment also remains a priority before the transfer window closes. The club continues to be linked with Manor Solomon, Troy Parrott, Arne Engels, and another central defender, additions that could strengthen an already talented squad.
There were encouraging individual performances across the pitch.
Bowen once again demonstrated why he remains the team’s leader, contributing a goal, an assist, and tireless work throughout the match. Castellanos showed his finishing instincts with a clinical brace, while young midfielder Mohamadou Kante continued his rapid development with another mature display beyond his years.
Kante’s energy, creativity, and willingness to drive forward earned praise from supporters and coaching staff alike, reinforcing the belief that he could become one of West Ham’s breakout stars this season.
Although Portsmouth enjoyed spells of possession and moved the ball well during the opening stages, the difference between the two teams ultimately came down to quality inside the final third.
West Ham punished mistakes, converted their opportunities, and looked increasingly confident as the match progressed.
The Hammers know much tougher tests await, beginning with challenging Championship fixtures in the coming weeks. However, this performance offered encouraging signs that Nuno Espírito Santo is beginning to build a side capable of competing for automatic promotion.
After a difficult year ended with relegation, West Ham have taken the first competitive step in the right direction—and if Bowen, Castellanos, and Kante continue producing performances of this level, Championship rivals will already know they face one of the division’s strongest promotion contenders.
