Wrexham Stuns Birmingham City In Dramatic FA Cup Upset
Wrexham Stuns Birmingham City In Dramatic FA Cup Upset...
Wrexham AFC, the Welsh club co-owned by Hollywood stars Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney, pulled off a stunning 2-1 victory over Championship side Birmingham City in the FA Cup semifinals on Sunday. The match, played at London's Wembley Stadium, marks Wrexham's first trip to the final in their 158-year history and continues their improbable rise under celebrity ownership.
The game trended heavily in the U.S. due to Reynolds' and McElhenney's involvement, with American fans tuning in to see if the National League club could continue their Cinderella run. Social media erupted after Wrexham's 89th-minute winner, with Reynolds live-tweeting the match to his 21 million followers.
Birmingham City, recently relegated from the Premier League, entered as heavy favorites but were outplayed by Wrexham's relentless pressing. The Welsh side took the lead in the 37th minute through striker Paul Mullin before Birmingham equalized via a Juninho Bacuna penalty. The decisive goal came from substitute Ollie Palmer, who headed home a cross from captain Ben Tozer.
The victory sets up a historic final against either Manchester City or Liverpool on May 23. Wrexham becomes the first non-league team to reach the FA Cup final since 1914, when the tournament was restructured. Reynolds confirmed via Twitter that the team will fly back to Wales on a chartered plane normally reserved for A-list celebrities.
U.S. viewership records were shattered for an FA Cup match, with ESPN reporting a 287% increase over last year's semifinal average. The match also trended globally as Reynolds' Deadpool co-star Hugh Jackman and other celebrities joined the online celebration. Wrexham's fairytale run has captured American imaginations, with bars from New York to Los Angeles showing the match during typically slow Sunday morning hours.
Birmingham manager John Eustace called the loss "devastating" in his post-match press conference, while Wrexham's Phil Parkinson became the first manager to take a fifth-tier club to the final. The Welsh government announced plans for a public viewing event in Cardiff should Wrexham win the trophy later this month.
Financial analysts estimate the cup run has already generated over $25 million in global merchandise sales and sponsorship deals for Wrexham. The club's stateside popularity continues growing, with over 200 official supporters clubs now operating across America. Sunday's match will re-air tonight on ABC in primetime, a rare honor for soccer coverage on U.S. broadcast networks.
