Late own goal hands Luton Town opening day win over AFC Wimbledon

An own goal by Ryan Johnson was the deciding factor as Luton beat AFC Wimbledon 1-0 on the opening day of the season.

In a Friday night game of few chances, Luton won the first EFL match of the 2025/26 season with a hard-thought victory over last season’s League 2 play-off winners.

Victory was the first time since 2021 that Luton have won their first match of a new season, with Matt Bloomfield’s side aiming for it to be the launchpad to begin a fightback after two successive relegations.

A new campaign saw Luton aiming to rebuild after back-to-back relegations from the Premier League and Championship.

On a day that saw Luton confirm the new signings of Cohen Bramall and Jerry Yates, albeit too late for either to feature, Bloomfield handed full debuts to four of the Hatters’ new signings, with Josh Keeley, George Saville, Nigel Lonwijk and Nahki Wells in from the start.

For the most part, however, AFC Wimbledon proved to be a roadblock, serving in some the defensive resistance that helped them win promotion from League Two last season.

Perhaps the closest to a major opportunity in the first half came in the 25th minute, when Wells had a shot blocked.

Wells put another shot wide just after half-time, but a chance of significance was finally created almost out of nothing just after the hour. Reuell Walters was first to a half-cleared corner and his strike was on target, only to be denied by a flying stop from visiting keeper Nathan Bishop.

The visitors continued to be a tough nut to crack for Luton, however, who continually tried but failed to land a breakthrough as the game entered the final stretch.

But a breakthrough would come their way with 85 minutes on the clock. A floated cross into the box by Wells had aimed to find home substitute Cauley Woodrow. Defender Johnson got their first, but his looping header ended up spiralling in via the crossbar.

Luton then duly kept the visitors at bay to confirm they would be starting off a new campaign with the three points. They will play their second match and first away game of the season next weekend, when they travel to play Peterborough United next Saturday (09/08).