A young Reading side were eliminated from the EFL Cup first-round at the hands of Swansea City after Joel Latibeaudiere, Ben Cabango and Joel Piroe netted to win the tie.

Chances were few and far between for the Royals who struggled against the Swans side, who kept the ball economically throughout the match.

Latibeaudiere’s header had enough power to beat Luke Southwood in the Reading net.

Despite an improved effort in the second-half, Swansea sealed the win thanks to Cabango’s 60th minute header and Piroe’s goal to see Russel Martin’s team in the hat for the next round.

With only a small pool of senior players to select from, Veljko Paunović named a youthful looking side with 17 of the 18 players in the squad having come through the club’s academy.

Tom Holmes was given the captain’s armband for the night, while the only non-academy graduate among the 18 was Romanian forward George Pușcaș.

The young Royals side lined up with an average age of 19.5 years in their first-round EFL Cup tie.

After a quiet opening 15 minutes to the cup contest, Swansea mustered the first chance of the match when they won a corner kick and they capitalised.

Jake Bidwell’s whipped corner to the back post was met by the head of Joel Latibeaudiere who found the back of the net despite the best efforts of goalkeeper Luke Southwood who could only palm the ball into the roof.

Having gone behind, the youthful Royals team struggled to create any chances or string any spell of passes together as the more experienced Swans outfit kept possession of the ball smartly.

The Swans looked to hurt Reading from another set-piece after Nelson Abbey gave away a free-kick, but this time the Royals were more organised to clear.

The visitors had another good strike at goal when Bidwell got into between two players and found Joel Piroe who fired a shot at Southwood but the keeper got down low quickly to make a fine save.

Kyle Naughton picked up the first caution of the game which led to Reading’s first shot at goal from a free-kick.

Pușcaș hit a free-kick towards Steven Benda, and despite the Swans goalkeeper spilling the ball, he managed to reclaim quickly before anyone could take advantage in a hooped shirt.

There were two more bookings before the beak as Mamadi Camara was booked for Reading, and Dan Williams went into the referee’s notebook for a foul on Kelvin Ehibhatiomhan.

A half-chance came the way of Pușcaș when Abbey curled in an inviting cross but the Royals forward couldn’t direct his header on target to test the keeper as the visitors went into the break with a one-goal lead.

Reading host Preston North End on Saturday in their first home Championship match of the new season.

The Reading boss made a solitary change at half-time as Michael Stickland took the place of Tom McIntyre.

Paunović’s team created a chance early in the second half as Ehibhatiomhan powered a header off target.

The Serbian boss made another switch as Jahmari Clarke replaced Ehibhatiomhan.

Southwood made another clever stop to deny Piroe from completing what would have been a fabulous solo effort.

But moments after, Swansea extended their lead as Ben Cabango headed in from close range on the rebound after an initial clearance off the line.

Reading had to play the last 20 minutes with 10 players as Abbey was withdrawn with injury, but the hosts had already used all three substitutes.

Swansea made pay of their domination as Piroe wrapped up the game in the 83rd minute as he dispatched the ball past Southwood.

Reading: Southwood, Sackey, McIntyre, Holmes (c), Abbey, Tetek, Leavy, Osorio, Camara, Ehibhatiomhan, Pușcaș
Subs: Boyce-Clarke, Samuels, Senga, Bristow, Stickland, Purcell, Clarke
 
Swansea City: Benda, Cabango, Latibeaudiere, Cooper, Naughton, Grimes, Whittaker, Bidwell, Williams, Piroe, Dhanda
Subs: Manning, Lowe, Joseph, Cullen, McFayden, Lloyd, Defreitas-Hansen

Goals: Latibeaudiere 16′, Cabango 60′, Piroe 83′

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