West Ham United 2-1 Queens Park Rangers: Castellanos Header Seals FA Cup Win

West Ham reached the FA Cup third round with a narrow 2-1 extra-time victory over Queens Park Rangers at London Stadium, as Valentin Castellanos struck a decisive first goal for the club. The result ended West Ham’s long run without a win, while League One side Mansfield Town shocked Sheffield United.

The hosts progressed after being forced beyond 90 minutes by their Championship visitors, despite leading at half-time. West Ham’s success also stopped a 10-match winless sequence in all competitions, which had stretched back to a 3-2 victory over Burnley on 8 November, easing pressure around recent results.

West Ham created early pressure, with QPR goalkeeper Joe Walsh denying Max Kilman’s close-range header. Richard Kone then reacted on the line

to clear a Jarrod Bowen effort. Ten additional minutes were added before the interval after Konstantinos Mavropanos suffered an injury and left the pitch on a stretcher.

During that lengthy stoppage period, Crysencio Summerville finally broke the deadlock. The forward lashed a shot past Walsh in first-half added time, giving West Ham control at the break. QPR responded on 65 minutes, when Kone outjumped Aaron Wan-Bissaka to nod in Karamoko Dembele’s accurate left-wing cross.

QPR’s leveller forced extra-time, but West Ham regained the initiative soon after the restart. Eight minutes into the additional period, Summerville turned provider with a swinging cross from the right. Castellanos, who arrived from Lazio earlier this week, met it with a fierce header that secured a 2-1 home victory.

An FA Cup win at London Stadiumpic.twitter.com/3AMPIFA3HtWest Ham United (@WestHam) January 11, 2026

The tie carried extra significance for Summerville, who ended a difficult personal spell. The forward’s goal was the first since October 2024 against Manchester United, halting a 28-game run without scoring. West Ham’s victory also closed a frustrating period across competitions, restoring some confidence before the next fixtures.

FA Cup West Ham and other third-round results

Mansfield Town produced one of the standout results of the round, winning 4-3 away at Sheffield United. The League One side led 4-1 at Bramall Lane, then resisted a late Championship fightback. Mansfield held on through a tense closing spell to secure progress to the fourth round.

Elsewhere, Norwich City enjoyed a comfortable home win over Walsall, finishing 5-1. Jovon Makama scored a hat-trick to dominate the tie. West Brom and Hull City also reached the next round, both needing penalty shootouts after draws against Swansea City and Blackburn Rovers, respectively, to move through.

Mansfield’s win carried historical weight for the club in FA Cup terms. The team reached the fourth round for the first time since the 2007-08 season. It was also the first time Mansfield had eliminated opposition from the top two tiers at this stage since beating the Blades in January 1969.

West Ham’s extra-time win, Summerville’s overdue strike and a breakthrough for Castellanos shaped a significant evening in the FA Cup. Combined with Mansfield’s upset and comfortable progress for Norwich, West Brom and Hull, the third round delivered contrasting stories of recovery, resilience and long-awaited milestones across English football.