Deji Elerewe on target as Bromley FC seal historic Carabao Cup second-round berth

By Oluwadamilola Olaleye 

Deji Elerewe made history for Bromley FC yesterday, scoring the opening goal in a thrilling Carabao Cup encounter against Ipswich Town, as the Ravens secured their first-ever qualification to the second round of the competition via a dramatic penalty shoot-out.

Elerewe’s vital header and Bromley’s resilience in a tense shootout saw them progress after a 1-1 draw at Hayes Lane, marking a significant achievement for the club in only their second-ever appearance in the competition.

The match kicked off with high intensity, and Bromley showed promise early on. In the 15th minute, Marcus Ifill sent a lofted ball into the Ipswich penalty area, and Elerewe rose highest to challenge for the header, but his attempt sailed just over the crossbar.

It wasn’t long before Bromley broke the deadlock. A corner kick from Sowunmi found Elerewe, whose header across goal was met by Christian Walton, the Ipswich goalkeeper, who failed to claim the ball.

Elerewe powered his second attempt toward goal, sending the ball past Walton to give Bromley a 1-0 lead going into halftime.

Ipswich responded in the second half, equalizing just seven minutes after the restart. A powerful shot from Conor Chaplin was saved well by Grant Smith, but the rebound fell kindly to Ipswich substitute Ben Johnson, who made no mistake, tapping the ball into an empty net to make it 1-1.

With the score tied at full-time, the match proceeded to a penalty shoot-out. Bromley remained composed, and despite the pressure, they held their nerve to seal a 4-3 victory in the shootout, securing their place in the second round of the Carabao Cup for the first time in the club’s history.

Bromley’s achievement in overcoming a higher-tier opponent in Ipswich is a momentous one for the club, and Elerewe’s contribution in securing the crucial opening goal will go down in history as a key milestone in their journey.

The Ravens now look ahead to the next round of the Carabao Cup, where they will face a potentially tougher test, but with this newfound confidence, they will be determined to continue their fairytale run.

Samuel Ahmadu

Samuel Ahmadu is a distinguished multimedia journalist and women's football expert with over 15 years of experience in the industry. He began his career at Goal.com in February 2014, where he served as an African women's football correspondent for nearly eight years. During his tenure at Goal.com, Samuel covered major events such as three Women's Africa Cup of Nations (2016, 2018, 2022) and the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup in Canada plus 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. His work at Goal.com earned him widespread acclaim, particularly for his in-depth profiles of African football stars, notably Asisat Oshoala, whose rise he documented from her early years to her breakthrough at the FIFA U20 Women's World Cup in 2014. Prior to his role at Goal.com, Samuel freelanced for various print and broadcast media outlets in Nigeria, including Graphics Newspaper, Radio Nigeria, Grace FM, and Savid Newspaper. His extensive experience and expertise led to his appointment to the Nigeria Football Federation's Standing Committee on Women's Football Development from 2016 to 2018. Since February 2018, Samuel has been the Social Media Manager for Nigeria's women's national teams.In 2019, Samuel joined the Confederation of African Football (CAF) as a women's football content contributor and was promoted to Women's Football Editor in 2021. His contributions to women's football continued as he worked as a Media Consultant for Content Creation and Editorials at the 2022 CAF Women's Champions League. Currently, Samuel also serves as the spokesman for the Nigeria Women Football League, further solidifying his influence and dedication to the growth of women's football in Africa.

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