Wrexham advanced to the fourth round of the FA Cup by surprising Premier League Nottingham Forest on penalties after scoring six goals at the Racecourse Ground.
Arthur Okonkwo was the hero for Wrexham, denying Igor Jesus and Omari Hutchinson from penalties and the Championship side won 4-3 from spot-kicks after Josh Windass, Callum Doyle, George Thomason and Jay Rodriguez converted from the spot.
In front of Hollywood owner Ryan Reynolds, Wrexham took the lead with first-half goals from Liberato Cacace and Oliver Rathbone.
Liberato Cacace scored the opener for Wrexham in a thrilling match. (AP Photo/Jon Super)
Reynolds were exchanging high-fives and hugs as Phil Parkinson’s side looked to be on course for round four, when Sam Smith sprinted half way through Forest unchecked but failed to beat the outstretched legs of Matz Sels, which should have been round three and perhaps more contested.
Forest boss Sean Dyche made three substitutions at half-time with Neco Williams, Morgan Gibbs-White and Nicolas Dominguez coming on to salvage the situation, before Jesus restored Wrexham’s two-goal advantage with a diving header from Dominic Hyam with 16 minutes remaining.
Ollie Rathbone put Wrexham 2-0 ahead before half-time.
Forest looked dead and buried but substitute Callum Hudson-Odoi came home 60 seconds later to cross the grandstand finish at the racecourse.
Hudson-Odoi took the tie to extra-time in spectacular fashion with a touch on the chest and a perfect volley past Okonkwo, but Wrexham were not denied in the penalty shoot-out as they clinched their first FA Cup win in 26 years.
Parkinson’s: The Roller Coaster Game
phil parkinson Wrexham have welcomed a “special” giant-slaying FA Cup win over Nottingham Forest and expressed delight that the Welsh club’s Hollywood owner Ryan Reynolds was there to see it.
“I spoke to him before the game, and it was great to see him here with his family,” Parkinson said of the Deadpool actor.
“I think Ryan’s mom is here tonight for the first time, so it’s really special and I hope they had a great night.”
“I’m sure they’ll have a few glasses of wine on the flight home tonight to celebrate.”
Parkinson added of the game: “I felt like the whole stadium had collapsed so I had to rally my troops a bit during the break.”
“Do you feel like, ‘We missed our best opportunity to come through and beat a Premier League team’?
“But the players pulled themselves together, their legs were very tired and we thanked both sides for a good performance after a busy Christmas schedule.”
“It’s a really big night for us and I’m delighted that these players will be able to write their own piece to the club’s rich heritage in the FA Cup.”
Dyche: First half performance is unacceptable
forest boss Sean Dyche There was a scathing rebuke of a first-half performance that ultimately proved costly for last season’s semi-finalists.
“The first half was unacceptable, the players know that and some of the individuals certainly know that.
“They have to look in the mirror in that respect and I thought it was a credit to the players who came on in the second half. We looked like a Premier League team.”
“There were two brilliant goals from Callum… A penalty shoot-out is a lottery, but we created enough chances to win the game, but we didn’t end up doing it.
Callum Hudson-Odoi scored a stunning equalizer to send Forest into extra-time 3-1 down.
“They all come knocking on your door and say, ‘Why don’t I play?’ Well, the evidence quite frankly exists for some, not all.
“But that’s football, you have to train and prepare properly. When the time comes you have to be ready and there were too many players who weren’t ready in the first half.
“I saved a few players (at half-time) and from the second half we looked like we should as a Premier League team.
“But you can’t give people a two-goal lead. And credit to them by the way. I’m not taking anything away from them. Fair play, but it was a completely unacceptable first half from our point of view.”
“We have to make changes because of the fixture schedule, but the football players are reaching out. There won’t be a half-time group knocking on my door saying, ‘Why am I not playing?’”
When is the FA Cup 4th round draw?
Wrexham will be focusing all their attention on the FA Cup fourth round draw. Monday, January 12th.
The draw will be held at Anfield ahead of the final match of the third round between Liverpool and Barnsley.
It’s scheduled to start around 6:30 PM.
