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| Chelsea advance to the FA Cup quarterfinals after a dramatic 4-2 extra-time victory against Wrexham at SToK Cae Ras Stadium. |
Chelsea secured a place in the quarterfinals of the FA Cup 2025/2026 after defeating Wrexham 4-2 in the fifth round. The match, held at SToK Cae Ras Stadium in Wrexham early Sunday morning WIB, was decided in extra time after both teams finished 2-2 in regulation.
The game was competitive from the opening minutes, with Wrexham delivering a strong performance in front of their home supporters and putting pressure on the visiting Premier League side.
Wrexham Took The Early Lead
The home team opened the scoring in the 18th minute through Sam Smith. The Wrexham forward beat Chelsea goalkeeper Robert Sanchez in a one-on-one situation to give the hosts a 1-0 advantage.
Wrexham nearly doubled their lead in the 31st minute. Ryan Longman fired a shot from the right side of the penalty box, but Sanchez managed to make an important save, forcing the ball out for a corner.
Chelsea struggled to break through Wrexham’s defensive line before finally equalizing in the 40th minute. A shot from Alejandro Garnacho was not handled perfectly by goalkeeper Arthur Okonkwo, and the ball ended up deflecting into his own net. The score remained 1-1 until halftime.
Back-And-Forth Goals In The Second Half
After the break, both teams increased the intensity of their attacks, creating several opportunities but failing to convert them into goals for much of the second half.
Wrexham regained the lead in the 78th minute. Starting from a corner kick situation, Josh Windass struck the ball from outside the penalty area, which deflected off Callum Doyle. The change in direction fooled Sanchez, allowing the ball to roll into Chelsea’s net and making it 2-1.
However, Chelsea responded quickly. Just four minutes later, 19-year-old right-back Joshua Acheampong scored the equalizer with a strike from the right side of the penalty box in the 82nd minute.
The score remained tied at 2-2 at the end of normal time, forcing the match into extra time.
Chelsea Seal Victory In Extra Time
Chelsea finally turned the game around during the extra period. In the 96th minute, Alejandro Garnacho scored the third goal for the visitors, giving Chelsea a 3-2 lead.
Wrexham thought they had equalized in the 114th minute when Lewis Brunt headed the ball into the net from a corner kick. However, after a VAR review, the goal was disallowed because Brunt was in an offside position.
Chelsea eventually sealed the victory in the 120+5 minute. Joao Pedro scored the fourth goal for the visitors, confirming a 4-2 win.
Chelsea Advance To FA Cup Quarterfinals
With this result, Chelsea advanced to the quarterfinal stage of the FA Cup 2025/2026. The club joins other teams that have already secured a place in the last eight, including Liverpool and Arsenal.
The dramatic win highlighted Chelsea’s resilience, as the team came from behind twice before finally securing victory in extra time.