Dons in Final Third Development League Cup
Sixteen-year-old Paul Kalambayi will be handed an opportunity for AFC Wimbledon’s development squad tomorrow afternoon against Southend United.
Alan Reeves’ side host the Shrimpers at the training ground tomorrow (1.00 pm kick-off) and centre-back Kalambayi, who has only just turned 16, will get a chance with Ryan Sweeney having been away with Ireland Under-19s.
The young Dons will need a victory to keep their hopes alive of progression in the Final Third Development League Cup (Southern Group A) after a defeat to Luton Town and a 1-1 draw against Milton Keynes last Monday.
Coach Alan Reeves felt that his side paid the price for missed chances in that game, but he wants the young Dons to go out and express themselves on the pitch tomorrow.
“We missed a lot of chances and the players worked their socks off out of possession,” Reeves said. “But we did not keep the ball as well as I would have liked. We are working 100 miles per hour to get the ball back, but when we do that we are not relaxing enough in possession. In our last two training sessions I stressed that when we win the ball back we need to calm down, relax and enjoy being in possession of the ball. We probably need to win tomorrow to have any chance of going through.”
Ryan Sweeney played for 45 minutes today for Republic of Ireland Under-19s in a 2-1 defeat at home to Ukraine.
That came just two days after he played 90 minutes in the first of Ireland’s double-header against Ukraine, a match that ended in a 1-1 draw.
All at AFC Wimbledon wish to congratulate Ryan Sweeney for earning international honours.