On Friday night, Wrexham pulled off a true rollercoaster 🎢, edging out Premier League side Nottingham Forest in a dramatic FA Cup clash. After a 0-0 stalemate in extra time, the match went to penalties, where the Welsh underdogs beat Forest 4-3.
Goalkeeper Arthur Okonkwo was the hero of the day, pulling off blockbuster-worthy saves against Igor Jesus and Omari. The shootout saw Josh Windass, Callum Doyle, George Thomason and Jay Rodriguez score for Wrexham, sealing the victory.
The drama started earlier: Liberato Cacace and Oliver Rathbone gave Wrexham a 2-0 lead in the first half. Igor Jesus pulled one back for Forest, but Dominic Hyam's diving header restored the two-goal cushion with 16 minutes left.
Just when it seemed Wrexham had it in the bag, substitute Callum Hudson-Odoi scored twice – including a stunning 89th-minute leveller – sending the game to extra time and, eventually, penalties. With replays no longer in the FA Cup, both teams had to rely on spot-kicks to decide the winner.
Since Hollywood stars Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney took over in 2021, Wrexham have enjoyed three straight promotions and currently sit on a four-game winning streak in the Championship.
For Forest manager Sean Dyche, the contest highlighted the gap between top-flight priorities and cup ambitions. 'The first half was completely unacceptable,' Dyche admitted. 'But the substitutes showed Premier League quality in the second half.'
Wrexham's fairytale run continues as they march deeper into the FA Cup, proving that sometimes real life is even more thrilling than a blockbuster movie 🎬⚽.
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Wrexham ride 'rollercoaster' to knock Nottingham Forest out of FA Cup
cgtn.com
