League Cup: Cardiff City past Wrexham; Fulham survives scare against Wycombe Wanderers

Cardiff City upset Wrexham 2-1 to book a place in the quarter-finals of the League Cup in the long-awaited renewal of one of the oldest rivalries in Welsh football, while Premier League club Fulham needed penalties to get past Wycombe Wanderers in the third tier on Tuesday.

Will Fish struck the winner with his first goal for League One side Cardiff at the Racecourse Ground in the 71st minute, heading in at the back post.

Ahead of Friday’s home game against Championship leaders Coventry, Wrexham manager Phil Parkinson made seven changes from the side that started Saturday’s 1-1 draw at Middlesbrough. It proved costly as Cardiff were the better team throughout the match.

Cardiff were first on the scoresheet when Omari Kellyman’s shot was pushed away by Callum Burton, but Yousef Salech was there to fire home the rebound.

Wrexham leveled when Kieffer Moore headed in an equalizer from close range in the 52nd minute, seven minutes after coming on, but the home side could not stop Cardiff.

The tie was the first meeting between the sides in 21 years, a rivalry fueled by the hostility of Wales’ traditional north-south divide, with Wrexham to the north and the capital Cardiff to the south.

The clubs have enjoyed contrasting fortunes, with Wrexham rising to the second tier from non-league football in three seasons under the ownership of Hollywood A-listers Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney.

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However, Cardiff were relegated to the third tier last season, having only played in the Premier League in 2019.

Fulham, meanwhile, were scared at Adams Park by Wycombe, a team 44 places lower in the English football pyramid.

Ex-Fulham player Cauley Woodrow scored in the fourth minute when he buried an angled shot into the near post from 20 yards.

Eighteen-year-old Josh King equalized in the 48th minute with a clever kick into the net from Kevin’s corner, but neither team could break the deadlock, sending the match to penalties with the score at 1–1.

Issa Diop smashed home the winning penalty to give Fulham a 5–4 win in the shootout, with Fulham goalkeeper Benjamin Lecomte saving three penalties.

Brentford beat fourth-tier Grimsby Town 5-0 with goals from Mathias Jensen, Keane Lewis-Potter, Reiss Nelson, Fabio Carvalho from the penalty spot and Nathan Collins.

There are five matches on Wednesday to determine the remaining quarter-finalists, including holders Newcastle United at home to Tottenham Hotspur.

Published on October 29, 2025