Charlton Athletic secured a narrow victory over Preston North End with a 1-0 scoreline in the third round of the Championship season. Karlan Grant struck in the fifty-sixth minute to decide the encounter as Charlton maintained their perfect start. The hosts now sit top of the table with nine points from three victories, while Preston remain rooted to the bottom with zero points from three defeats.
The match itself lacked penetration despite Charlton's dominance in possession. They controlled 57 per cent of the ball but managed only two shots on target from five attempts, translating to a mere thirteen per cent accuracy rate. Preston offered little resistance, registering just one shot on target from six attempts. The expected goals figures tell a similar story of missed opportunities—Charlton 0.87, Preston 0.91.
The decisive moment came after the interval when Grant finished a move to give his side all three points. Before that, Sonny Carey was withdrawn just before half-time and brought back on immediately after the restart. Charlton also saw Nathaniel Chalobah replaced in the sixty-third minute as they began to manage the game.
Preston made three changes in the seventieth minute, introducing Callum Lang and Odeluga Offiah alongside Jordan Thompson. The visitors showed more discipline early on with Leo Leroy receiving a yellow card in the fifty-fourth minute, before Joe Rankin-Costello was booked six minutes into stoppage time. Both sides finished with a single caution.
The result leaves Charlton at the summit of the Championship with three consecutive wins, while Preston's winless campaign continues at the foot of the table with three defeats from three matches. The hosts will aim to extend their unbeaten run when they return to action next week.
