Wrexham Women win on Champions League debut

Wrexham celebrated their Women’s Champions League debut with a thrilling 4-2 victory against FC Pyunik in the first qualifying round semi-final at the Racecourse.

Jenny Sugarman’s side will face Riga of Estonia – who had earlier beat Glentoran 4-1 – in Saturday’s first qualifying round final.

Wrexham were making their European debut after winning the Adran Premier for the first time in their history last season.

Their victory was the first time a team from Wales had won a game in the Champions League since Cardiff Met in the 2019-20 season.

The Armenian champions took the lead after 12 minutes when Susanna Badalya made the most of a poor clearance from the Wrexham keeper Liz Craven to fire home from outside the penalty box.

The response from Wrexham was instant, a strong run from Faye Knox down the left and her cross was met perfectly by Katie Barker and the goal settled the home side’s nerves.

Barker, the former Newcastle United striker, came close to scoring a second goal but her effort was saved by the Pyunik goalkeeper Amber Lockwood.

Wrexham took the lead five minutes after the break when Lili Jones’ right footed shot from the edge of the penalty area took a slight deflection and sailed into the top corner.

That goal gave the home side the confidence to go and look for the third goal, which eventually came on 62 minutes.

Lockwood fumbled Lili Jones’ shot and Ava Suckley pounced to tap home from close range.

However Pyunik kept themselves in the game when Luiza Ghazaryan’s powerful shot gave Craven no chance.

Wrexham winger Knox then missed a great chance to score Wrexham’s fourth goal but new signing Natasha Thomas sealed a historic victory in the dying stages and she also struck the bar in added time.