The dream just goes on…..
Wrexham AFC Women’s first-ever European match ended in a magnificent home triumph over Armenia’s FC Pyunik at the Racecourse on Wednesday night.
The 2025-26 Adran Premier champions did the nation proud with a tremendous result which put them through to the mini-tournament final where they will meet Riga of Latvia for a place in the next stage.
If they can overcome the east-Europeans, Wrexham will make more history as the first-ever Welsh women’s team to progress beyond a round in Europe.
Before tonight, the Adran Premier had won just six out of 40 matches in the UEFA Champions League since 2010-11 – the last victory being seven years ago.
Wrexham became not only the first North Wales club to compete in the Champions League – they marked the amazing occasion with a win.
Things started badly for the hosts when Susanna Badalyan handed the Armenians a 10th minute lead.
However, within a minute Wrexham were level, last season’s Adran Premier top-scorer Katie Barker firing home following a great set-up from Faye Knox.
The home side were on top for the rest of the half, Josie Smith heading just wide, while Barker and Knox both tested visiting keeper Amber Lockwood.
Maria Francis-Jones also delivered a delicious cross into the box which only lacked a finishing touch.
Half-time: 1-1.
Five minutes into the second half, Wrexham grabbed the lead when local girl Lili Mai Jones scored with a stupendous chip from a tight angle.
It got even better for the Welsh champions on 63 minutes when another Wrexham girl, Ava Suckley, showed persistence to find the net after keeper Lockwood spilled.
Pyunik rallied and Luiza Ghazaryan made it 3-2 after 64, but Wrexham stayed in command and the coup de grace was still to come.
Substitute Natasha Thomas displayed great resilience in the 90th minute before applying a finish which clinched a famous win for Jenny Sugarman’s stars.
Liz Craven, Phoebe Davies, Jody Bartle (c – Lydia Sallaway 68), Katie Barker, Sarah Harbey, Josie Smith (Mikayla Cook 78), Ava Suckley (Natasha Thomas 68), Amy Reidford, Lili Mai Jones, Maria Francis-Jones, Faye Knox (Liv Fuller 90+).
2010-11 – QUALIFYING ROUND
Swansea City: Baia Zugdidi (Georgia) 2-1; Bardolino (Italy) 0-7; Krka (Slovenia) 0-3
W 1 L 2
2011-12 – QUALIFYING ROUND
Swansea City: Apollon Limassol (Cyprus) 0-8; Lehenda ShVSM (Ukraine) 0-2; Progrès Niederkorn (Luxembourg) 4-0
W 1 L 2
2012-13 – QUALIFYING ROUND
Cardiff Met: Peamount United (Ire) 0-4; SFK 2000 (Sarajevo) 0-1; ASA Tel Aviv University 0-5
W 0 L 3
2013-14 – QUALIFYING ROUND
Cardiff City: Konak Belediyesi (Turkey) 0-1; SFK 2000 (Sarajevo) 0-3; NSA Sofia (Bulgaria) 0-2
W 0 L 3
2014-15 – QUALIFYING ROUND
Cardiff Met: Atlético Ouriense (Portugal) 2-1; Standard Liege (Belgium) 0-10; ASA Tel Aviv 0-2
W 1 L 2
2015-16 – QUALIFYING ROUND
Cardiff Met: Wexford Youths (Ireland) 1-5; Gintra Universities (Lithuania) 1-5; Medyk Konin (Poland) 0-5
W 0 L 3
2016-17 – QUALIFYING ROUND
Cardiff Met: NSA Sofia (Bulgaria) 4-0; Breiðablik (Iceland) 0-8; Spartak Subotica (Serbia) 2-3
W 1 L 2
2017-18 – QUALIFYING ROUND
Swansea City: Zhytlobud-2 Kharkiv (Poland) 0-9; Hibernian (Scotland) 0-5; Olimpia Cluj (Romania) 0-3
L 3
2018-19 – QUALIFYING ROUND
Cardiff Met: Zhytlobud-1 Kharkiv (Ukraine) 2-5; Olimpia Cluj (Romania) 2-3; Birkirkara (Malta) 2-2
D 1 L 2
2019-20 – QUALIFYING ROUND
Cardiff Met: Tbilisi Nike (Georgia) 5-1; Pomurje (Slovenia) 1-0; Hibernian (Scotland) 1-2
W 2 L 1
2020-21 – FIRST QUALIFYING ROUND
Swansea City: Apollon Limassol (Cyprus) 0-3
L 1
2021-22 – QUALIFYING ROUND 1
Swansea City: CSKA Moscow 1-4 (aet); Dinamo BGU Minsk (Belarus) 0-2
L 2
2022-23 – QUALIFYING ROUND 1
Swansea City: PAOK (Greece) 0-2; Ferencvárosi TC (Hungary) 0-7
L 2
2023-24 – QUALIFYING ROUND 1
Cardiff City: Gintra (Lithuania) 0-2′ Shellbourne (Ireland) 0-3
L 2
2024-25 – QUALIFYING ROUND 1
Cardiff City: Twente (Netherlands) 0-7; Ljuboten (North Macedonia) 0-2
L 2
2025-26 – QUALIFYING ROUND 1
Cardiff City: Athlone Town (Ireland) 0-4
L 1
2026-27 – FIRST QUALIFYING ROUND MINI-TOURNAMENT 3
Wrexham: FC Pyunik (Armenia) 4-2
W 1
MATCHES 41
WINS 7
DRAWS 1
LOSSES 33
Cardiff Met: Played 18 Won 4 Drawn 1 Lost 13
Swansea City: Played 14 Won 2 Lost 12
Wrexham: Played 1 Won 1
Cardiff City: Played 8 Lost 8
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