Wrexham Stuns Premier League Giants in Thrilling FA Cup Upset

Following a dramatic near-collapse, Wrexham managed to survive a penalty shootout against Nottingham Forest on Friday night to secure their place in the FA Cup fourth round.

Excitement filled the STōK Cae Ras before kickoff as Phil Parkinson's squad prepared for their first encounter with a Premier League side since earning promotion to the Championship. The match certainly lived up to expectations.

The Red Dragons held a commanding 2-0 advantage at the break courtesy of strikes from Liberato Cacace and Ollie Rathbone. Despite Igor Jesus reducing the deficit for the away team shortly after the hour mark, Wrexham responded by reestablishing their two-goal lead through Dominic Hyam.

However, Callum Hudson-Odoi had other plans. The Nottingham Forest winger found the net just two minutes afterward, then struck again in the 89th minute to level the match at 3-3, sending the tie into extra time.

The additional 30 minutes failed to produce a decisive goal, leading to a penalty shootout in Wales. To the joy of the capacity crowd at STōK Cae Ras and co-owner Ryan Reynolds, Wrexham overcame the Tricky Trees 4-3 on spot kicks thanks to two crucial stops from Arthur Okonkwo.

The shot-stopper thwarted Jesus and Omari Hutchinson, while James McClean was the only Wrexham player to miss his attempt. Josh Windass, Callum Doyle, George Thomason and Jay Rodriguez all successfully converted their penalties to clinch the win.

When Is the FA Cup Fourth Round Draw?

Wrexham must wait several days to discover their next opposition in the tournament. The FA Cup fourth round draw takes place on Monday, Jan. 12, at 6:35 p.m. GMT / 1:35 p.m. ET / 10:35 a.m. ET.

The Red Dragons will be hoping for a kind draw and to steer clear of several Premier League powerhouses remaining in the competition, such as Manchester City and Arsenal.

Before focusing on the upcoming round, Wales' oldest club will be savoring their third round success. This encouraging result follows Wrexham's impressive run of five straight Championship wins that has brought them to within a single point of the playoff positions.