James Abankwah's red card pivotal in Watford's defeat to Oxford United

[caption id=attachment_1229131 align=alignnone width=1024] OXFORD, ENGLAND - MARCH 15: James Abankwah of Watford receives a red card from referee Robert Madley during the Sky Bet Championship match between Oxford United FC and Watford FC at Kassam Stadium on March 15, 2025 in Oxford, England. (Photo by Cameron Howard/Getty Images)[/caption]Irish-Ghanaian defender James Abankwah received a red card in the 79th minute, leading to a 1-0 defeat against Oxford United at the Kassam Stadium on Saturday afternoon. Abankwah, who had been booked earlier, committed a foul on Przemysaw Pacheta, resulting in his second yellow card and subsequent dismissal. This left Watford with ten men for the remainder of the match.Just three minutes later, Oxford capitalized on their numerical advantage. Siriki Dembl scored in the 82nd minute, securing Oxford's first win in ten Championship matches. Before this match, the head-to-head record between the teams stood at Oxford United with no wins, Watford with one win, and one draw.In the 2024/2025 season, Abankwah has made 12 Championship appearances for Watford, starting 11 times and coming on as a substitute once. This red card marks his first dismissal of the season.Looking ahead, Watford will aim to rebound in their next Championship fixture against Luton Town on March 22, 2025. Read Full Story