Chelsea battle past Wrexham to reach FA Cup quarters but need extra time to do so

[p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/wrexham/IgO7K1ZA/"]Wrexham[/a], watched at the Racecourse Ground by actors Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney, took the lead through [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/smith-samuel-toby/2iM3cEF9/"]Sam Smith[/a], but the visitors were level courtesy of an own goal shortly before half-time.[/p][p]In a breathless second period, [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/doyle-callum/zcPUcEzl/"]Callum Doyle[/a] put the Welsh team back ahead again in the 78th minute, only for [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/acheampong-josh/d0RqiWb6/"]Josh Acheampong[/a] to equalise four minutes later.[/p][p]The game changed complexion when [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/dobson-george/fgVSdat2/"]George Dobson[/a] was sent off in stoppage time, and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/garnacho-alejandro/jqrfFKsi/"]Alejandro Garnacho[/a] volleyed home in the first period of extra time before [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/joao-pedro/CAmJERl2/"]Joao Pedro[/a]'s late strike [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/chelsea-4fGZN2oK/wrexham-IgO7K1ZA/?mid=fJMRtkrC"]added gloss to the scoreline[/a].[/p][embed guid="b9e4a3b2-6369-4805-a76d-737a3a127b52" url="https://x.com/ChelseaFC/status/2030381249903182306" social-type="twitter" /][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/chelsea/4fGZN2oK/"]Chelsea[/a] boss Liam Rosenior, juggling Premier League and Champions League commitments, made nine changes to his starting team against the Championship club.[/p][p]In-form Wrexham, who put out Premier League club Nottingham Forest earlier in the competition, went ahead in the 18th minute when Doyle found Smith with a raking long pass.[/p][p][b]Smith's first touch was superb, and he raced away from Tosin Adarabioyo before finishing coolly past Robert Sanchez.[/b][/p][embed guid="5fe7415c-ba67-41e7-b470-4e546d497bae" url="https://x.com/Wrexham_AFC/status/2030345917245636995" social-type="twitter" /][p]Chelsea enjoyed the bulk of possession but created little against Phil Parkinson's organised side, who are targeting a fourth-consecutive promotion - this time to the Premier League.[/p][p][b]But Wrexham suffered heartbreak five minutes before half-time when the ball squirmed into the net off the back of goalkeeper Arthur Okonkwo for an own goal.[/b][/p][p]Wrexham started the second half on the front foot again, putting Chelsea's defence under huge pressure, roared on by a passionate home crowd.[/p][p]Rosenior brought on forward Marc Guiu for defender Mamadou Sarr just before the hour mark, throwing on Marc Cucurella and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/essugo-dario/djA5LwVQ/"]Dario Essugo[/a] a few minutes later.[/p][p][b]Wrexham continued to make life uncomfortable for the Club World Cup champions and retook the lead with a brilliant, instinctive flick from Doyle, who turned home Josh Windass's shot in the 78th minute.[/b][/p][p][b]But just minutes later, Chelsea were all-square again, with Acheampong firing into the roof of the net.[/b][/p][image alt="Chelsea were too good in the end" id="0cd7738e-d0ab-4972-9447-d52c6426cc03" credit-line="Flashscore" guid="7c462c82-8330-421a-b791-1813fabba54a" original-width="1200" original-height="1200" /][p]Windass had a glorious chance to put Wrexham in front for a third time, but headed wide with Sanchez stranded and Pedro Neto rattled the bar at the other end.[/p][p]The dynamic of the match shifted when Dobson was sent off in stoppage time by referee Peter Bankes following a VAR review.[/p][p][b]That gave Wrexham a mountain to climb, and their task was even harder when Essugo's cross was finished crisply by Garnacho in the sixth minute of extra time.[/b][/p][p]Astonishingly, Wrexham had the ball in the net again after Kieffer Moore's header was turned home by Lewis Brunt, but the goal was ruled out for offside by VAR.[/p][p]Lewis O'Brien flashed just wide as Parkinson's side finally ran out of chances with substitute Pedro grabbing a fourth for Chelsea.[/p][p]Chelsea now turn their attentions to a Champions League last-16 date with Paris Saint-Germain in midweek, while Wrexham will continue their push to reach the Premier League.[/p][image alt="Key match stats" id="a7bff27b-efb9-4134-8854-53bc11ac1c5d" credit-line="Flashscore" guid="7421f1ff-b33c-4704-8f21-8398bfd44307" original-width="1200" original-height="1200" /][p][b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/chelsea-4fGZN2oK/wrexham-IgO7K1ZA/?mid=fJMRtkrC"]Catch up on all the match stats with Flashscore.[/a][/b][/p]