Wrexham win on Women's Champions League debut

Lili Jones celebrates after scoring Wrexham's second goal [FAW]Wrexham celebrated their Women's Champions League debut with a thrilling 4-2 victory against FC Pyunik in the first qualifying round semi-final at the Racecourse.

>Jenny Sugarman's side will face Riga of Estonia - who earlier beat Glentoran 4-1 - in Saturday's first qualifying round final.

>Wrexham were making their European debut after winning the Adran Premier for the first time in their history last season.

>Their victory was the first time a team from Wales had won a game in the Champions League since Cardiff Met in the 2019-20 season.

>The Armenian champions took the lead after 12 minutes when Susanna Badalya made the most of a poor clearance from the Wrexham keeper Liz Craven to fire home from outside the penalty box.

>The response from Wrexham was instant, a strong run from Faye Knox down the left and her cross was met perfectly by Katie Barker and the goal settled the home side's nerves.

>Barker, the former Newcastle United striker, came close to scoring a second goal but her effort was saved by the Pyunik goalkeeper Amber Lockwood.

>Wrexham took the lead five minutes after the break when Lili Jones' right footed shot from the edge of the penalty area took a slight deflection and sailed into the top corner.

>That goal gave the home side the confidence to go and look for the third goal, which eventually came on 62 minutes.

>Lockwood fumbled Lili Jones' shot and Ava Suckley pounced to tap home from close range.

>However Pyunik kept themselves in the game when Luiza Ghazaryan's powerful shot gave Craven no chance.

>Wrexham winger Knox then missed a great chance to score Wrexham's fourth goal but new signing Natasha Thomas sealed a historic victory in the dying stages and she also struck the bar in added time.