Bristol City will host Milton Keynes Dons in the first round of the 2025/2026 EFL Cup at Ashton Gate on August 12, with kickoff scheduled for 9:45pm East African Time.

This knockout fixture pits the Championship side against League Two opposition as both teams look to progress in England’s secondary cup competition.

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Benni McCarthy has reflected on the tactical decisions that helped Harambee Stars edge Morocco’s Atlas Lions.

The match represents an early opportunity for both clubs to build momentum in the new season while pursuing a potential cup run with Kenyan defender Zak Vyner set to lead the defence line.

Both teams entered this EFL Cup fixture after contrasting starts to their respective league campaigns.

Bristol City began their Championship season with an impressive 4:1 away victory against Sheffield United, demonstrating their attacking prowess and ambition for the new campaign.

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Meanwhile, Milton Keynes Dons started their League Two season positively with a 2:0 away win at Barrow, suggesting they could be among the promotion contenders in the fourth tier.

Ryan Ogam has revealed that Benni McCarthy’s words before kick-off motivated him to deliver a decisive goal in Harambee Stars’ clash with Morocco.

This cup tie presents an opportunity for the Dons to test themselves against higher-level opposition, while the Robins will be wary of a potential upset as they balance cup ambitions with their league campaign.

Bristol City enter this cup tie in exceptional form, having won four of their last five matches across all competitions.

The Robins kicked off their Championship campaign with an impressive away victory against Sheffield United (4:1) on August 9, following strong pre-season performances including wins against Real Valladolid (4:0) on August 2 and Plymouth (2:0) on July 26.

Their only non-victory came in a goalless draw with Cheltenham (0:0) on July 25, before bouncing back with a win against Newport (1:0) on July 22.

The South African was concerned about his team’s mental readiness ahead of a crucial CHAN clash against a formidable opponent.

Milton Keynes Dons have been more inconsistent, with one win, three draws, and one defeat in their last five matches.

They began their League Two campaign with a solid away win at Barrow (2:0) on August 9, following a pre-season draw with Oldham (0:0) on August 2.

Their preparation included a defeat to St. Mirren (2:1) on July 5, after ending the previous season with consecutive goalless draws against Swindon (0:0) on May 3 and Grimsby (0:0) on April 26.

Bristol City and Milton Keynes Dons have faced each other five times historically, with the Robins holding the upper hand with three wins and two draws. Their most recent encounter came in a pre-season friendly on July 24, 2021, where Bristol City emerged victorious with a 3:1 win thanks to goals from Saikou Janneh, Tommy Conway, and Nahki Wells, while Jay Bird scored a late consolation for the Dons.

Their last competitive meetings came during the 2015/16 Championship season, with Bristol City winning 2:0 away at Stadium MK in February 2016 through a Jonathan Kodjia double, after a 1:1 draw at Ashton Gate earlier that season where Kodjia’s early goal was canceled out by Daniel Powell’s 90th-minute equalizer.

The teams also played out a goalless draw at Stadium MK in February 2015 during their League One campaigns.

Bristol City : Lumley; Atkinson, Vyner, Tanner; Hirakawa, Randell, Knight, McCrorie; Riis, Twine; Mehmeti

MK Dons:  MacGillivray; Tomlinson, Sanders, Offord, Jones; Gilbey, Kelly, Thompson-Sommers; Mendez-Laing, Paterson, Hepburn-Murphy