Joe Pigott’s 61st minute winner saw AFC Wimbledon beat Bromley 2-1 at Hayes Lane to reach Second Round of 2024-25 Carabao Cup.
Pigott smashed in the winning goal from James Tilley’s knockdown 61st minute header of Isaac Ogundere’s cross.
Levi Amantchi had initially put Bromley in front with a 19th minute counter-attack strike, but Josh Kelly pulled AFC Wimbledon level with a 24th minute equaliser.
AFC Wimbledon will discover their Second Round opposition tomorrow night (14 August) live on Sky Sports, following the conclusion of Leeds’ tie against Middlesbrough.
With only four players from their League Two debut win at Harrogate starting this maiden Carabao Cup tie, Bromley were lucky not to concede in the second minute as Sam Long saved Joe Piggot’s shot.
The Dons continued to dominate but Bromley broke forward in the 19th minute through Bes Topalloj, who found Amantchi to rifle his cross low into the bottom-right corner to score the first EFL goal at Hayes Lane with their first shot of the tie.
Amantchi post-match took to X to speak of his pride at scoring his first goal for the Ravens.
Wasn’t meant to be tonight, but grateful to get my first competitive goal for the club, thank you to the fans for the support shown today ! @bromleyfc https://t.co/Ip5LeMIhzs
— Levi Amantchi (@LeviAmantchi) August 13, 2024
Wimbledon however weren’t behind for long as just five minutes later, Myles Hippolyte played Kelly through to break forward and fire across into the left corner to restore parity.
Neither team managed to find a second goal before half-time amidst various fouls and free-kicks which came to nothing.
Barely a minute into the second half, Swansea loanee – Cameron Congreve found his way into the box but his initial shot was blocked, only for him to then put his rebound attempt wide.
Wimbledon then produced two chances in the space of a minute as Huseyin Biler’s 54th minute shot was saved, then Kelly fired a right-footed shot wide.
Those two wasted chances were almost punished in the 56th minute as Lewis Leigh broke forward with a long-range shot, but Owen Goodman was alert to make the save to deny Bromley a second goal.
Congreve then saw a shot blocked three minutes later as Bromley began to get on top of their South London rivals.
A defensive switch-off just two further minutes later allowed Wimbledon to burst forward, with Ogundere’s right-flank cross nodded on by Tilley for Pigott to fire in past Long at the left post to turn the tie around.
Pigott almost wrapped up victory in the 69th minute with a tightly-angled shot but Long made a crucial block to deny him, just moments after Joe Lewis headed wide for the visitors.
Bromley almost equalised in the 74th minute but Omar Sowunmi nodded wide from Congreve’s cross, just moments before both teams made a total of six changes between them.
Olufela Olomola and Kamarl Grant saw late headers denied whilst Marcus Dinanga’s 79th minute shot rolled wide, as Bromley frantically chased a late equaliser to force penalties but the Dons clung on to advance to the Second Round.
Both teams though will meet again in their next match on Saturday 17 August, as Bromley host the Dons at Hayes Lane in their first home match in League Two.
Teams
Bromley – Sam Long, Kamarl Grant, Callum Reynolds, Omar Sowunmi, Nathan Paul-Lavaly, Bes Topalloj (Odutayo 76′), Jude Arthurs, Lewis Leigh (Charles 76′), Cameron Congreve (Olomola 76′), Levi Amantchi (Cheek 76′), Marcus Dinanga
Substitutes: David Aziaya, Ashley Charles, Sam Woods, Michael Cheek, Taylor Foran, Olufela Olomola, Idris Odutayo, George Penn, Frankie Moralee
AFC Wimbledon – Owen Goodman, Ryan Johnson, Joe Lewis, Isaac Ogundere, James Tilley (Furlong 90+1′), Myles Hippolyte (Smith 86′), Jake Reeves, Callum Maycock, Huseyin Biler (Neufville 86′), Joe Pigott (Bugiel 75′), Josh Kelly (Stevens 75′)
Substitutes: James Ball, James Furlong, Omar Bugiel, Josh Neufville, Alistair Smith, Matty Stevens, Ethan Sutcliffe, Lewi Ward, Morgan Williams
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