Tyreece Campbell Shines in Charlton's Comeback Victory
Tyreece Campbell’s sharp start to the season shows no sign of slowing. With 10 minutes of normal time left at The Valley, the 22-year-old cut across the box onto his weaker left foot and drilled Charlton’s winner past Jacob Widell Zetterstrom, sealing a 2-1 comeback victory over Derby County.
For Derby, it rounded off a bruising week. Turki Alalshikh’s proposed takeover collapsed on Monday; five days later, their side surrendered a lead and left south London empty-handed.
Derby strike first
Charlton began on the front foot. From an early Sonny Carey corner, Billy Koumetio climbed well but nodded wide. Karlan Grant, making his 100th appearance for the club after returning in the summer, then tested Zetterstrom with a firm effort straight at the Derby keeper before rolling a tempting ball across for Carey, who horribly miscued in the 16th minute with the goal opening up.
That miss gave Derby a foothold. They settled, kept the ball, and began to push Charlton back.
The warning came when Sammie Szmodics ghosted into the box to meet Joe Ward’s low cross, only for Will Mannion to block his first-time finish. Moments later, Charlton didn’t heed it. This time, Szmodics was picked out by James Collins Morris inside the area and made no mistake, firing Derby into a first-half lead.
Charlton responded before the interval. Nathan Jones’ side forced Derby deeper, with Danny McNamara seeing a goal-bound strike dramatically blocked by Curtis Taylor’s sliding challenge. Campbell then almost squeezed one in at the near post, only for Zetterstrom to stick out a leg and divert the ball away.
The home fans were on their feet again when Carey tumbled under a challenge from Lewis Travis in the box. Referee Ben Speedie waved away the penalty appeals, leaving The Valley bristling at the decision as the sides headed in with Derby still 1-0 up.
Captain Jones drags Charlton level
Derby’s goalscorer Szmodics, who had looked uncomfortable after a niggle in the warm-up, failed to shake it off. His afternoon ended in the 54th minute as he was replaced by new signing Alex Mowatt, a change that shifted the pattern of the game without easing Charlton’s intent.
The equaliser arrived just after the hour and fittingly came from Charlton’s stand-in captain. Lloyd Jones, fresh from signing a new two-year contract on Friday, powered forward for a set-piece and made it count. Grant, drifting in from the left of the penalty area, clipped a delicate cross into the middle and Jones met it with a firm header, steering the ball beyond Zetterstrom in the 61st minute.
Derby tried to respond. Mannion, who had looked uncomfortable dealing with high balls, produced his best save of the afternoon when Oscar Fraulo let fly from 20 yards. The Charlton keeper flung himself full stretch to his left to tip the effort around the upright and keep the scores level.
Campbell delivers the decisive blow
Campbell remained Charlton’s livewire. Every time the ball went out to the right, Derby’s back line tightened a little more.
The pressure finally told. Picking up possession again in the final third, Campbell drove inside and, on that supposed weaker left foot, unleashed a crisp strike that flew beyond Zetterstrom and into the corner. For the first time all afternoon, Charlton led.
It was Campbell’s second goal of the campaign, already just one shy of his total for the whole of last season. For Jones on the touchline, it was the perfect symbol of a player – and a team – growing into the new campaign.
Derby threw what they had left at Charlton in the eight minutes of stoppage time. Max Johnston whipped in a late cross, Morris rose to meet it, but his header lacked conviction and dropped straight into Mannion’s gloves.
The final whistle followed soon after. Charlton had their comeback, Campbell had his moment, and Derby’s difficult week ended with more questions than answers.
