Wrexham pulls off dramatic late recovery to advance in League Cup on penalties

WREXHAM, Wales (AP) — Wrexham striker Ollie Palmer scored two goals in the space of a minute in stoppage time then converted one of the team's penalties in its dramatic shootout win over Hull in the English League Cup on Tuesday.

The Welsh club owned by Hollywood celebrities Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney looked to be heading out in the first round when trailing 3-1 at the start of added-on time.

Then Palmer, on as a 69th-minute substitute, converted headers in the first and second minutes of stoppage time to make it 3-3 and take the game to a shootout.

Wrexham won it 5-3 to advance.

After three straight promotions, Wrexham — now globally renowned after its 2021 takeover and the “Welcome to Wrexham” fly-on-the-wall documentary — is playing in the second-tier Championship for the first time since the 1980s and opened the season with a 2-1 loss at Southampton on Saturday.

Palmer has played a leading role in the documentary but has fallen down the pecking order of strikers over the past two years.

___

AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

Wrexham's Ollie Palmer, top, scores during the English League Cup first round soccer match between Wrexham and Hull City at SToK Racecourse, Wrexham, Wales, Tuesday Aug. 12, 2025. (Nick Potts/PA via AP)

Hull City's John Lundstram, left, and Wrexham's Ollie Palmer battle for the ball during the English League Cup first round soccer match between Wrexham and Hull City at SToK Racecourse, Wrexham, Wales, Tuesday Aug. 12, 2025. (Nick Potts/PA via AP)

Wrexham's Harry Ashfield, left, and Hull City's John Lundstram in action during the English League Cup first round soccer match between Wrexham and Hull City at SToK Racecourse, Wrexham, Wales, Tuesday Aug. 12, 2025. (Nick Potts/PA via AP)

http://accesswdun.com/article/2025/8/1297466