Watford came from behind to beat Hull City 2-1 at Vicarage Road, with second-half goals from captain Imran Louza and 20-year-old striker Vivaldo Semedo overturning Oli McBurnie's first-half opener. The victory, only Watford's second of the season, lifts them above Hull and into 16th place in the Championship, easing some of the intense pressure on head coach Paulo Pezzolano.
For much of the afternoon it appeared to be heading towards another bleak chapter for the hosts, who kicked off in the bottom three and were loudly booed off at half-time after a lacklustre opening 45 minutes. But a vastly improved second-half display, combined with Hull's failure to turn their first-half superiority into a wider advantage, transformed a restless atmosphere into one of relief and even optimism by the final whistle.
Hull Strike First After Open and Anxious Start
Both sides had sights of goal in an open start that reflected the fragile confidence of Watford and the ambition of Hull. For the visitors, Amir Hadziahmetovic saw a volley blocked in the early exchanges, while at the other end Semedo was denied after being slipped through by Louza. In blustery conditions, Tigers goalkeeper Ivor Pandur also had to react sharply to keep out Jeremy Ngakia's inventive back-heeled finish with an instinctive save.