After more than 21 years without facing one another, Cardiff had to wait a little longer to reacquaint themselves with their Welsh rivals, as Wrexham completely failed to turn up for the first half. The Bluebirds’ victory came as little of a shock, if anything their progress to the quarter‑finals should have been far easier.
Yousef Salech put the League One side into a first-half lead but Cardiff missed numerous chances to finish off the match before it began in earnest. Wrexham joined the tie in the second half; substitute Kieffer Moore equalised but it was Will Fish who settled the match for the team from the capital.
There was an indication that priorities for the two clubs lay elsewhere as the managers named 12 collective changes from their league fixtures at the weekend. Wrexham are focused on staying in the Championship and Cardiff would like to join them there.
The visitors are near the top of League One and, despite the alterations, looked more composed in the early stages. Their every pass was booed by the home support but they were composed in possession, without offering an obvious threat until the 10th minute when red shirts were required to block two shots in quick succession.
