AFC Wimbledon bounced back from their opening defeat to secure a 3-1 victory over Crystal Palace's Under-21 team in the English Football League Trophy on September 17, 2025. Playing at Plough Lane, Wimbledon showed great character to claim their first points of the group stage. After a closely fought first half, Wimbledon took control after the break, scoring twice to secure a comfortable victory. The win revived their hopes of qualifying from the group, while for Palace U21, it was a second consecutive match without a win, leaving them with work to do. The match demonstrated the Dons' ability to respond to adversity against talented young opposition.