Chelsea produced a dramatic fightback against Wrexham on Saturday, coming from behind twice to claim a 4-2 extra-time victory in the FA Cup fifth round.
The match at ST?K Cae Ras saw Chelsea vs Wrexham deliver one of the most pulsating ties of this season’s competition, with 10,556 fans creating a raucous atmosphere in Wales.
Celebrity owners Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney were in attendance, watching their side dream of a famous upset against the reigning club world champions.
Wrexham drew first blood through Sam Smith in the 18th minute, giving the Welsh outfit an early foothold in a match they clearly believed they could win.
Chelsea leveled through a fortunate Arthur Okonkwo own goal on 40 minutes, but the hosts refused to fade and Callum Doyle restored their lead with an improvised finish 12 minutes from time.
Josh Acheampong pulled Chelsea level again at 2-2 before George Dobson was sent off for Wrexham in the 90th minute, shifting the momentum decisively toward the visitors.
Alejandro Garnacho then volleyed in from close range from a Dário Essugo cross in the 96th minute, giving Chelsea a lead they would not relinquish.
Wrexham thought they had leveled at 3-3 when Lewis Brunt turned in from Kieffer Moore’s glancing header, but VAR ruled him narrowly offside in a gut-wrenching decision for the home side.
João Pedro had the final say in the 120th minute, sealing Chelsea’s quarterfinal spot with a strike that ended any lingering hopes of a Wrexham comeback.
Chelsea had made nine changes ahead of Wednesday’s Champions League trip to Paris Saint-Germain, leaving Cole Palmer, Moisés Caicedo and Enzo Fernández at home.
Their disjointed first-half display was evident, with Phil Parkinson’s disciplined Championship side exposing a lack of cohesion among the heavily rotated London outfit.
Wrexham had already knocked out Premier League side Nottingham Forest earlier in this year’s competition, making their run to the fifth round all the more impressive.
The club is competing in the FA Cup fifth round for the first time in 29 years, a milestone that underlines the extraordinary transformation Wrexham has undergone in recent seasons.
Phil Parkinson’s side currently sit sixth in England’s second tier and remain firmly focused on securing an unprecedented fourth straight promotion to join Chelsea in the Premier League next season.
While defeat against Chelsea hurts, the memory of how close Wrexham came to an historic upset in this Chelsea vs Wrexham tie should provide real motivation as they push for the playoffs.