AFC Wimbledon vs Walsall: League Two stats & head-to-head
After beating Notts County 1-0 in the second leg of their play-off semi final tie, AFC Wimbledon remain unbeaten across their five EFL play-off games (W4 D1). That includes a 2-0 victory against Plymouth Argyle in their only prior final appearance in May 2016 when they were last promoted from League Two.
This will be the third time that Walsall have played in an EFL play-off final, winning each of their prior clashes against Bristol City in a replay in May 1988 (4-0) and against Reading in May 2001 (3-2).
This will be just the second time in the history of the EFL play-offs that a side from London has faced a side from the West Midlands in the final. The prior occasion saw Fulham beat Aston Villa 1-0 during the 2017-18 Championship play-off final.
Across all competitions in their club history, AFC Wimbledon will be playing at Wembley for just the third time. Their first visit saw them defeat Plymouth Argyle 2-0 in the 2015-16 League Two play-off final before they were beaten 3-0 by Tottenham Hotspur during an FA Cup Third Round fixture in January 2018.
Having lost three consecutive league games against AFC Wimbledon between Match 2023 and April 2024 whilst conceding 10 goals in the process, Walsall were unbeaten across their two meetings with the Dons this season (W1 D1).
Since the start of 2019, Walsall have won just two of their league games in London (D4 L6), netting multiple goals in just one of those matches, although it was their last; a 2-2 draw at Bromley in March.
Only four sides across the Football League this season (Inc Playoffs) have kept more clean sheets than AFC Wimbledon (23). That tally is already seven more than they’ve ever managed in another EFL campaign, whilst the last side to keep clean sheets in their three League Two play-off matches in the same season were Northampton Town in 2019-20.
In League Two this season (inc. play-offs), Walsall have scored more goals (79) and generated a higher xG (77.1) than any other team. In fact, across the entire EFL this campaign, only Leeds United (95) and Birmingham City (84) have struck more goals than the Saddlers.
This season in League Two, AFC Wimbledon’s Matty Stevens has notched 20 goal contributions (17 goals, 3 assists). Only three player’s have ever managed more for the Club in an EFL campaign; Lyle Taylor in 2015-16 (28), Joe Pigott in 2020-21 (25) and Jack Midson in 2011-12 (22).
Across the EFL this season, Walsall’s Ryan Stirk ranks joint-fourth amongst all players for times winning possession (256). On six separate occasions this season he’s recovered possession 10+ times in a match for the Saddlers, with only Hull City’s Steven Alzate and Middlesbrough’s Hayden Hackney doing so in more matches across the entire EFL (both 7).
Walsall’s Taylor Allen has scored six of his 10 league goals this season from outside the box, only Notts County’s David McGoldrick (7) has netted more goals from distance in the top four tiers of English Football in 2024-25.
