Cardiff outclass Wrexham to book a place in the Carabao Cup quarter-finals after a 2–1 win
After more than two decades without a meeting, the long-awaited Welsh derby between Wrexham and Cardiff ended with a deserved victory for the Bluebirds, though it could easily have been settled long before Will Fish’s late winner.
Cardiff’s 2–1 triumph at the STōK Cae Ras sent them through to the Carabao Cup quarter-finals, while Wrexham’s much-anticipated homecoming clash with their rivals fizzled into frustration after a lifeless first-half performance.
Yousef Salech gave Cardiff an early lead on 13 minutes, tapping home after Callum Burton parried Omari Kellyman’s fierce strike. The League One side completely dominated the opening 45 minutes, peppering the Wrexham goal as the home fans watched in uneasy silence.
Cian Ashford was denied by a superb Burton save, and Rubin Colwill rattled the crossbar from a free-kick as Cardiff threatened to run riot. Wrexham’s defence, meanwhile, looked ragged and uncertain.
“Our owner Vincent Tan is very demanding,” said Cardiff head coach Brian Barry-Murphy afterwards. “He wanted more shots and more crosses — I hope we made him happy. We played the way we wanted from minute one, and I’m immensely proud of the whole club.”
For Wrexham, the first half was a disaster. Even with the firepower of their ambitious squad, they lacked energy, ideas and control. Nathan Broadhead wasted a rare chance on the counterattack, firing wide when unmarked in front of the goal, and that miss proved costly.
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Phil Parkinson’s side finally woke up after the break following a triple substitution, with Kieffer Moore introduced to inject some much-needed presence up front. Within seven minutes, Moore had levelled the scores, meeting Ryan Longman’s curling cross to head in against his former club and reigniting the crowd.
The equaliser transformed the atmosphere. For the first time all night, Wrexham pressed forward with intensity, forcing Cardiff into hurried clearances. The derby tension — long dormant between these sides — was suddenly alive again.
But as Wrexham pushed, Cardiff regrouped. On 78 minutes, Joel Bagan delivered a teasing cross from the left that eluded everyone except Will Fish at the back post. The defender’s volley was clean and precise, squeezing past Burton at his near post to make it 2–1.
The Wrexham goalkeeper may feel he could have done better, though his defence offered little protection. The goal silenced the home crowd and sent the travelling 1,200 Cardiff supporters into wild celebration behind the goal.
“We were off the pace in the first half — that’s probably an understatement,” admitted Parkinson. “We didn’t close down with enough pressure or intent and made it too easy for them.”
For Barry-Murphy, the win capped an impressive all-round display from his youthful Cardiff side, who now stand just two matches from a Wembley appearance.
“Exhausting,” he said. “It was a tough game, but the lads showed real character. These derbies matter, and we showed tonight what we’re building here.”
As the final whistle blew, the visiting fans belted out songs that shook the stand, celebrating not just a cup win but a symbolic return to Welsh football’s top table. After 21 years without this rivalry, Cardiff’s class — and Wrexham’s wastefulness — made the difference.