Chelsea survived a tense FA Cup fifth-round tie against Championship side Wrexham, coming from behind twice to win 4-2 after extra time at the Racecourse Ground. The Premier League team progressed despite heavy rotation and a red card to Wrexham's George Dobson. Wrexham's spirited performance highlighted their promotion aspirations under owners Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney.
The match on March 7, 2026, began with Wrexham taking the lead in the 18th minute through Sam Smith's finish after a long ball from Callum Doyle outpaced Chelsea's defense and beat goalkeeper Robert Sanchez. Chelsea, who made nine changes following their 4-1 Premier League win at Aston Villa, struggled initially but equalized in the 40th minute via an own goal by Wrexham goalkeeper Arthur Okonkwo, who deflected Alejandro Garnacho's shot into his own net.
The second half saw end-to-end action. Wrexham regained the lead in the 78th minute when Doyle flicked in Josh Windass's half-volley past Sanchez. Chelsea responded quickly, with Josh Acheampong drilling home in the 82nd minute after work from Andrey Santos. Moments later, Pedro Neto hit the crossbar.
The game's turning point came in the 93rd minute when referee Peter Bankes, after a VAR review, sent off Wrexham midfielder George Dobson for a high foul on Garnacho, upgrading an initial yellow card to red. In extra time, Chelsea capitalized on the numerical advantage as Garnacho volleyed home Dario Essugo's cross to take the lead. Wrexham thought they had equalized in the 114th minute through Lewis Brunt's finish from Kieffer Moore's flick-on, but VAR ruled it out for offside.
Joao Pedro sealed the 4-2 victory with a late counter-attack goal. Wrexham manager Phil Parkinson praised his team's effort, noting their longest FA Cup run since 1996-97. Chelsea boss Liam Rosenior acknowledged the rotation risks but highlighted the squad's depth. The result extends Chelsea's unbeaten FA Cup streak against lower-league sides to 25 matches.
