Chelsea drawn against AFC Wimbledon in Round Two of Carabao Cup

For just the second time in the last few decades, Chelsea are entering the League Cup (sponsored by Carabao) in the second round, thanks of course to our horrendous finish last season, which has deprived us of European football for just the second time in that same span.

Normally, we’d be entering in Round Three, along with all the other European qualifiers from the Premier League; now we’re slumming it with the rest in Round Two. Bet they ain’t even got no prawn sandwiches here!

In any case, the draw for this second round has now been made, and we got a nice easy game against fourth division AFC Wimbledon at Stamford Bridge to add to the midweek schedule for the week beginning August 28 (so in three weeks). Not many minutes earlier tonight (Wednesday), Wimbledon weren’t even in the draw, but a late-late comeback upset against Coventry, scoring twice in the final five minutes to win 2-1, sent them on their way.

We last faced Wimbledon in the year 2000, in their final top flight season, winning 3-1 thanks to goals from Gus Poyet, George Weah, and Jody Morris. Our U21/U23 side did play them in the EFL Trophy a few years ago (Conor Gallagher pictured in that game at the top).

The draw for Round Two of the Carabao Cup, in full, is as follows. I’m guessing we won’t be making the TV coverage slate.

Tranmere Rovers vs. Leicester City
Salford City vs. Leeds United
Harrogate Town vs. Blackburn Rovers
Stoke City vs. Rotherham United
Wrexham vs. Bradford City
Doncaster Rovers vs. Everton
Bolton Wanderers vs. Middlesbrough
Port Vale vs. Crewe Alexandra
Nottingham Forest vs. Burnley
Sheffield Wednesday vs. Mansfield Town
Wolverhampton Wanderers vs. Blackpool
Sheffield United vs. Lincoln City
Bristol City vs. QPR OR Norwich City
Plymouth Argyle vs. Crystal Palace
Reading vs. Ipswich Town
Portsmouth vs. Peterborough United
Luton Town vs. Gillingham
Swansea City vs. Bournemouth
Fulham vs. Tottenham Hotspur
Exeter City vs. Stevenage
Wycombe Wanderers vs. Sutton United
Birmingham City vs. Cardiff City
Newport County vs. Brentford
CHELSEA vs. AFC Wimbledon