Wrexham Snatch Historic Carabao Cup Win in Final Moments | OneFootball

Their Championship start has been a bit rocky, but Wrexham made more history today with a second round EFL Cup victory over Preston North End. We’ll also cover the other major scorelines from today’s nineteen fixtures. The numbers in parentheses refer to the club’s position in the EFL table (1 = Premier League; 2 = Championship, etc.)

Beware: thar be cupsets ahead, matey! (Editor’s note: I do not know why the author reverted to pirate talk. I think he’s drunk).

Preston North End (2) 2 – 3 Wrexham (2)

Wrexham unlocked two achievements today. First, they advanced into the 3rd round of the EFL Cup (aka Carabao Cup) for the first time since 1981. “Japanese Boy” by Aneka had just pipped Shakin’ Stevens’ “Green Door” to take the #1 spot in the UK Pop Charts. Second, they had their first come-from-behind victory of the 2025-26 campaign.

Preston was up 2 – 1 at the half courtesy of goals from Lewis Dobbin (‘7 – exquisite sidefooted strike to the upper convert)) and Liam Lindsay (‘32 – a more pedestrian header from a corner). Wrexham’s 11th minute goal came from an utterly unreal strike on the tightest of angles from Ryan Hardie. Look it up. You can’t even blame the Preston defenders from giving him space… one of a thousand shots would miss from there.

All of the above is from highlights, as I only got to watch the second half live. But from what I saw in that 50+ minutes the Wrexham victory was entirely deserved. 19 year old Harry Ashfield, a local lad making his eighth first team appearance, drilled a shot that took a fortuitous deflection off a Preston defender to draw the sides level. Although the hosts had a couple of promising attacks off the counter (easily handled by Arthur Okonkwo), it was nearly all Wrexham on the front foot.

That Ol’ Welsh Magic

You felt something special in the air when Kieffer Moore stepped in for Sam Smith in the 79th minute. The architect of Wrexham’s first Championship point thanks to his second half brace against Sheffield Wednesday, he once again delivered. Two minutes into stoppage time he barrelled his way into the box tracking a high lobbed cross from Ryan Barnett. Preston defender Michael Smith had him in a rugby-style tackle, which did not dissuade him from leaping for the ball. Preston goalkeeper Jack Walton also leapt up. Walton’s hands failed him; the ball fell at Moore’s feet a scant three feet from the goal line. One tap. Boom. Wrexham win!

#CUPSETS!

Yeah, it’s what everyone wants from tournaments like this, and Carabao Cup delivered.

Birmingham City (2) 0 – 1 Port Vale (3)

Defying possession, League One‘s Port Vale toppled the Birmingham City juggernaut after a late first half goal from Jaheim Headley.

Stoke City 0 (2) – 3 Bradford City (3)

Not a good look for Stoke City, falling by a three-goal margin to a lower division side. Yikes.

Cambridge United (4) 3 – 1 Charlton Athletic (2)

Cambridge were relegated last year into League Two, but that doesn’t excuse Charlton for crapping the bed on this one.

Sheffield Wednesday (2) 1 – 1 Leeds United (1)

This one went to a penalty shootout after a number of head-slapping misses by the visiting side. Leeds proceeded to blank all three attempts: two were saved; Calvert-Lewin fired his into the atmosphere

Sunderland (1) 1 – 1 Huddersfield Town (2)

Huddersfield won the shootout 6 – 5. Each side put on a masterclass on how to take a PK, converting all of their first five. Then Sunderland’s Milan Aleksić missed wide left. D’oh!FWIW, if you want to see a confident penalty, watch defender Jenson Seelt from Sunderland. No run up. Pure skill and positioning.

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