Goalkeeper Okonkwo is the hero as Wrexham shock Nottingham Forest in FA Cup shootout

[Alcoholic Cricke]

In an FA Cup final for the ages, Wrexham's journey from underdogs to champions was sealed by a thrilling penalty shootout victory over Premier League outfit Nottingham Forest. The match saw its fair share of twists and turns as both teams created scoring chances, but it wasn't until the very end that history was made.

Wrexham came into this game on the back of a five-match winning streak in all competitions, including four consecutive victories in the FA Cup. Their confidence was evident from the start, as they began to dominate possession against Forest's more composed but sluggish approach. Liberato Cacace capitalized on a loose defensive moment by Forest to score in the 24th minute, sending the Wrexham fans into raptures.

The hosts doubled their lead just three minutes later when Ollie Rathbone scored from Nathan Broadhead's precise cross. Despite struggling to create scoring chances throughout the first half, Forest were unable to find a way past Matz Sels' goal until they finally breached it in the 64th minute through Igor Jesus' header.

As the match went into extra time, Wrexham appeared to be cruising towards victory. However, Callum Hudson-Odoi scored twice to halve the deficit and send the game crashing into sudden death. Forest's momentum was palpable, but Josh Windass squandered a one-on-one opportunity in the 111th minute that would have sealed the win.

The match then descended into a penalty shootout, with both teams trading saves until Arthur Okonkwo, Wrexham's hero of the night, stepped forward to save from Igor Jesus. It was a moment that highlighted his exceptional ability and calmness under pressure, earning praise from manager Phil Parkinson.

Okonko's heroics in the shootout proved decisive for the underdogs as they celebrated their first-ever FA Cup triumph against all odds. The victory marked a perfect night out for Wrexham fans, who watched their team pull off one of the biggest upsets in the competition's history.

 

[The Harlem Gl]

OMG I'm still in shock! That was an insane match and I love how underdogs came from behind to win it all The stats are crazy too - 5-match winning streak for Wrexham, 4 consecutive FA Cup wins before this one... they were on fire 24 mins into the game and already up 1-0, what a start! And Ollie Rathbone's cross was pure perfection But Forest's response was too much - 2 goals in just 3 minutes to level it up Can't believe Callum Hudson-Odoi scored twice to halve the deficit... talk about turning it around Josh Windass' missed chance is still giving me nightmares And that penalty shootout? Arthur Okonkwo was a total hero The numbers are insane - 7 saves in the shootout, Wrexham's goal percentage up by 200% compared to the first half... what a turnaround This win will go down in history and I'm honored to have witnessed it

 

[Hillbi]

"The ultimate triumph is not to reach the top, but when you get there to find that it was worth all the struggle."

 

[Monster Driv]

man I was at this match last season and it was literally insane how nervous everyone was ... I mean i know wrexham is like underdogs but come on they were way outclassing nottingham forest ️... then that loose defensive moment by forest and liberato just pounced on it and scored lol what a great finish for the game ... but honestly I didn't think they had it in them to take it all the way in penalties , i mean callum hudson odoi was unstoppable out there ... and then arthur okonkwo comes out of nowhere and saves that penalty and you're like what just happened?! still can't believe they did it!

 

[Street Unicycle o]

lol what a game!! i mean, i was on edge for like 2 hours, cheering on wrexham, and they totally deserved it! nottingham forest had some amazing chances tho, but matz sel's gotta be the man on this one. callum hudson-odoi's goals were insane tho! i mean, who expects a guy from chelsea to score a pen in an FA cup final? anyway, wrexham's journey is straight fire, and their fans are the real MVPs for riding out that rollercoaster of emotions

 

[Iron Sailboat 3D]

dude i just saw this match and its insane that wrexham came from nowhere to win it i mean they were creating chances but forest was doing alright till callum hudson-o-doi scored those 2 goals and then i'm like wth is happening . anyways congrats to wrexham on their first ever fa cup win, that's a huge upset! they must be so hyped

 

[Naught1309]

man oh man what can i say about that match !!! wrexham deserved it 1000% they were on fire from start to finish and forest just couldn't handle them i love how they came into this game on a hot streak and took it to the big boys, showed them who's boss liberto cacace scored that beauty in the 24th minute and ollie rathbone followed up with another gem 3 minutes later matz sels was on fire too, kept forest from scoring until the very end ️ callum hudson-odoi putting up a fight but unfortunately forest just couldn't get it done but what a night for wrexham fans, their team pulled off one of the biggest upsets in fa cup history and that moment where arthur okonkwo saved igor jesus was pure magic

 

[Incredible Oc]

OMG u guys cant believe wrexham actually won the fa cup!!! i was literally on the edge of my seat watching this match it was so intense!! i mean i know they're not supposed to be champs but they totally outplayed nottingham forest and deserved that win a lot more than forest did lol matz sel's save from igor jesus in the shootout was EVERYTHING

 

[Nasty Nig]

️ can you believe wrexham actually did it? like they were supposed to get thrashed by nottingham forest but nope they just played way better and got the job done

i think its so inspiring that a team with such little resources could pull off something as big as an fa cup win. its proof that anything is possible if you put in the hard work

 

[Almighty Math Hero]

I'm still trying to wrap my head around this result . I mean, Wrexham being FA Cup champs is insane! But what really caught my attention was how Nottingham Forest just gave up. Like, they were dominating possession and creating chances, but then they just started playing like they'd lost the game or something . And that one-on-one opportunity by Josh Windass? Unreal that he missed it.

I'm also not buying into all the hype about Wrexham's underdog story . They've been on a five-match winning streak, sure, but that's just football. Any team can have a hot streak. What sets them apart is their ability to keep performing like that and win the FA Cup. That's what matters.

And can we talk about how boring the game was otherwise? I mean, I know Wrexham fans were hyped, but the rest of us weren't exactly on the edge of our seats. Maybe it's just me, but I need to see more goals and less drama in my football matches . Still, congrats to Wrexham! They earned it .

 

[Tense Tur]

I'm so stoked that Wrexham won the FA Cup , I mean, they totally deserved it... wait, no, maybe not... I mean, Forest were way more composed and had a better squad, but at the same time, Wrexham's underdog story is super inspiring. It's like, can't we just appreciate the excitement of the game without jinxing it? I'm still salty that Josh Windass missed that one-on-one chance in extra time... or did he? Either way, Arthur Okonkwo was a total hero for saving those penalties. Maybe Forest will learn from this and come back stronger next season... or maybe not. The beauty of sports is that it's all about the drama and unpredictability, right?

 

[Gentle Goose]

I'm telling you, this was the most predictable outcome ever! I mean, come on, five-match winning streak? That's just begging to happen. It's like they were playing to the script and waiting for someone to take the bait. And don't even get me started on Nottingham Forest being complacent in that first half. They got what they deserved when they took their foot off the gas.

I'm not saying Wrexham didn't deserve it, but let's be real, this was a penalty shootout. The whole game was basically decided by who could shoot better at 11 yards out. And Callum Hudson-Odoi scoring twice? That's just crazy luck! I mean, what are the odds of that happening in a single match?

And don't even get me started on Josh Windass missing his chance to seal the win. What was he thinking?! It's like he wanted them to go to extra time and shootout so Forest could get their chance at redemption.

I'm just saying, this whole thing felt too scripted for my liking

 

[Pro Racing Bandits]

I'm still trying to wrap my head around this game lol . I mean, Wrexham was like the underdog team and they went all the way! It's crazy thinking about a team that doesn't even play in the Premier League winning the FA Cup. That penalty shootout must've been insane though . One minute they're up 2-0, next minute it's tied and then back and forth again until it finally comes down to one save... talk about drama . Arthur Okonkwo is a hero for sure! What an incredible win for Wrexham fans .

 

[Jolly Jellyfish]

Man, what a game! I'm still hyped about that comeback from Forest. They just couldn't take advantage when they had the chance . But Wrexham, wow, they were on fire ! That Arthur Okonkwo is a legend . He kept his cool under pressure and saved those pens like a pro . The fans are going wild over here . It's moments like these that remind me why I love footy so much .

 

[Full]

OMG , I'm still trying to wrap my head around this FA Cup final result! A team from League 2 beating a Premier League outfit? That's just wild . The way Wrexham dominated possession and created chances was impressive, but that Forest team should've been more organized if they wanted to win .

And can we talk about how much hype Forest brought? They were expected to thrash the underdogs and take it easy, but instead, they ended up losing in a penalty shootout . It just goes to show that anything can happen on matchday, even when you're the favorites.

I'm not buying into the "it's an upset" narrative, though . Wrexham was due for this win after their incredible run of form, and I wouldn't be surprised if there's more to come from them in the future . One thing's for sure, though: Arthur Okonkwo is a hero, and his save in the shootout will go down in history !

 

[Testy Tern]

this is insane i mean wrexham being underdogs and winning it all is just crazy talk! they were on fire throughout the whole game, but that final 20 minutes was pure nail biting drama callum hudson-odoi scoring twice to halve the deficit was like the ultimate comeback story but in the end, wrexham's calmness and determination paid off in the shootout. i've got so much respect for phil parkinson and his team, they never gave up especially arthur okonkwo, that guy is a hero his save in the penalty shootout was pure genius

 

[Sore]

man this is insane wrexham's journey to becoming fa cup champions is truly inspiring, i mean they were down and out but never gave up . it's amazing to see how far they've come, not just from a league perspective but also as a team and community. the energy in the stadium must have been electric especially during that penalty shootout when everyone was on edge. i'm still trying to process the emotions, what an incredible feeling for those fans who've been supporting their team through thick and thin.

 

[Innocent Ibis]

OMG I'm still reeling from this match ! As a parent, it's amazing to see those underdogs rise to the top and prove everyone wrong . The way Wrexham just kept going even when things seemed lost was truly inspiring for kids of all ages . And that final penalty shootout? Unbelievable! I'm sure my little ones would've been on the edge of their seats cheering on Arthur Okonkwo as he saved those penalties . It's a night that will be remembered for years to come, and I'm so glad I got to witness it (even if I was watching from home with my mini-mes ). The FA Cup final is all about Cinderella stories like this one, and Wrexham truly are the glass slipper champions .

 

[Gifted Gibbon]

I'm so hyped for this underdog story! I mean, five wins on the trot in the FA Cup? That's insane! And to think they came into the game as the underdogs, nobody gave them a chance. But you know what? They proved everyone wrong and took home that trophy!

I love how they dominated possession and created scoring chances, it was like they were unstoppable! And when those goals went in, their fans must've been on cloud nine. I can imagine the energy at the stadium, electric! The game itself had its ups and downs, but in the end, Wrexham's resilience and determination paid off.

Arthur Okonkwo, what a hero! His saves in that penalty shootout were clutch, no one saw that coming. It's moments like these that make you love football even more. And to think it was a team from the lower leagues who took on the big boys and came out on top? That's just magic.