AFC Wimbledon pulled off a shock by defeating Premier League newcomers Ipswich Town on penalties to advance to the third round of the Carabao Cup.
Conor Chaplin headed in a late equalizer for Ipswich to force a penalty shootout, but the Dons secured a 4-2 victory after Owen Goodman saved spot-kicks from Jack Taylor and Omari Hutchinson.
Ali Al-Hamadi, playing against his former club, gave Ipswich an early lead in the third minute with a free header from Conor Townsend’s corner. However, Omar Bugiel leveled the score for Wimbledon with a header from Jake Reeves’ free-kick just before halftime.
Matty Stevens then put the Dons ahead with a header in a crowded goalmouth, but Chaplin equalized for Ipswich with just four minutes remaining.
Despite earlier losses to Liverpool and Manchester City at the start of their Premier League return, Ipswich couldn’t turn their season around, as Isaac Ogundere scored the winning penalty to send the fourth-tier Dons through.
Ipswich manager Kieran McKenna made 10 changes to his lineup, including six debutants like Chiedozie Ogbene, who joined from Luton, and Manchester City loanee Kalvin Phillips.
The teams had last met in League One just three seasons ago, and Ipswich initially seemed to demonstrate the gap between the two sides, dominating possession in the first half and taking an early lead through Al-Hamadi.
However, Ipswich struggled to create further chances before halftime, and Wimbledon could have led at the break if not for Bugiel’s goal being wrongly disallowed for offside, with debutant Dara O’Shea playing him onside.
Although the Dons didn’t create many opportunities, they were clinical, capitalizing on Ipswich’s defensive lapses from Reeves’ in-swinging set-pieces.
Ipswich improved after falling behind, driven by new signing Jack Clarke, with Huseyin Biler’s superb challenge denying Al-Hamadi, and substitute Massimo Luongo hitting the outside of the post.
McKenna brought on four players who had started against Manchester City, and Chaplin leveled the match by beating Dons goalkeeper Goodman to a high ball. However, Ipswich ultimately failed to make the most of their opportunity to win.
‘Beating a Premier League team is outstanding’
AFC Wimbledon manager Johnnie Jackson told BBC Radio London:
“We said to the lads there will be no repercussions if it (the penalty shootout) doesn’t go our way, so hopefully that brought them a bit of calmness. They took them really well.
“It’s the highlight of my career, certainly one of them.
“That’s the third time coming up against Kieran as a manager and it hasn’t gone great for me in the previous couple, so to win tonight against such a talented young coach is nice on a personal level.
“But I’m just really pleased for the football club to have a night like this. Beating a Premier League team is outstanding.”
‘It’s really clear what our priorities are this season’
Ipswich Town head coach Kieran McKenna told BBC Radio Suffolk:
“There were some really positive things about the performance, there wasn’t too much wrong with it apart from our defending of two set-plays that we gave away cheaply.
“That put us in a difficult situation, and our slickness in the final third to create chances will improve as the understanding between the players develops.
“That wasn’t quite there, but other than that there wasn’t too much wrong with the performance.
(On making 10 changes): “I think it was the right thing to do. Of course, going out of a cup competition is not good, we’re disappointed for the supporters who have come here tonight and given us really good support.
“We wanted to progress in the competition, but it’s really, really clear what our priorities are this season.”
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