The last play-off final of the EFL season comes down to a Bank Holiday shootout in League Two, as Johnnie Jackson’s AFC Wimbledon bid for a return to the third tier up against a Walsall side who will believe they should already be there by now.
As Wimbledon supporters make the journey from the south to the north of London, there has been some discontent within the fanbase during this campaign. However, a comfortable defeat of Notts County in the play-off semi-finals has brought their pre-season aspirations back into touching distance.
They now face a Walsall side who, mid-way through the campaign had a reasonable argument to suggest they were the strongest ever League Two team. But boss Mat Sadler’s Saddlers lost key loanee Nathan Lowe back to his parent club Stoke, and they subsequently collapsed.
They have still shown impressive fortitude to overcome that stunning collapse in the second half of the season, which resulted in them missing out on automatic promotion in the final seconds of the final day as Bradford City scored a late winner against Fleetwood Town at Valley Parade to send the Bantams back above Walsall and into the top three.
There's one last opportunity for both these sides to realise their promotion dream, and we have all the best value to have a punt on this match.
Odds are correct with the listed firms at time of publish but are subject to change.
Wimbledon vs. Walsall prediction, tips, bet builder and odds
HT Draw & Under 2.5 total match goals — 1.64/1 (Betfair)
As mentioned, since the loss of Lowe, who had scored 15 goals in 22 League Two games for Walsall prior to his departure, the Saddlers found life extremely difficult. From being 17 points clear of fourth and 12 clear of second in mid-January, they collected just 19 points from their final 19 games and managed just three victories. In those 19 games, they scored just 23 times.
Wimbledon went into the play-offs having scored just 56 goals in their 46 regular-season games – which was only three more than an Accrington Stanley side that ended up finishing 21st. Jackson’s side have made it extremely difficult for teams to play against them, though, as shown in that play-off tie against County last week.
With a game that matches up comfortably the best defensive record in League Two in Wimbledon (35 goals conceded) against a Walsall side probably still reeling from what they’ve done in the last few months, this one is expected to be a tight, tense and cagey affair, so under 2.5 goals looks a good value bet. Adding the draw at HT for a double gives some sense of value.
Walsall to win 1-0, 2-0 or 2-1 — 11/4 (Boyle Sports)
Walsall may well still be reeling from having to go via the play-offs at all, but not many teams would have been able to put in the performances that earned them the trip to Wembley under such circumstances.
A lot of sides would have buckled given the lack of momentum, but they made light work of a play-off semi against a Chesterfield side who squeezed into the top seven on the final day on the back of a six-match unbeaten run.
The experience of captain Jamille Matt and pivotal second-half substitute Albert Adomah provided the foundation for victory against the Spireites over two legs and, having got over that hurdle, they have shown enough to suggest they can revert back to being viewed as, simply, better than Wimbledon.
Boyle Sports offer of them winning either 1-0, 2-0 or 2-1 is a very attractive option.
Wimbledon vs. Walsall predicted score and most likely results
TSN Pick: Walsall to win in 90 minutes (2/1 with Paddy Power)
Score prediction: Wimbledon 0-2 Walsall (12/1 with Betfair)
Walsall should be tipped up as favourites in our opinion, but the likelihood is that the game may not be overly thrilling from a neutral’s perspective. Here's our look at the most likely results according to Paddy Power, who are offering £30 in free bets for a £5 stake if you sign up as a new customer ahead of the match.
How to watch Wimbledon vs. Walsall League Two play-off final
- Date: Monday 26th May, 2025
- Location: Wembley, London
- Time: 15:01 BST
- How to watch: The League Two play-off final will be televised live on Sky Sports and can be streamed live via Sky Go.
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