Wrexham Women finished their preparations for next week’s UEFA Women’s Champions League tie with a heavy 5-0 defeat to Sporting Jacksonville in a pre-season friendly at The Rock.
Early goals settle contest
The visitors took control inside the opening quarter-hour, striking in the ninth minute when Paige Kenton headed them in front. Kenton nearly doubled her tally shortly afterwards but was denied by a goal-line clearance from Jodie Bartle.
| Minute | Scorer | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 9 | Paige Kenton (header) | 0-1 |
| 17 | Baylee DeSmit (from Caroline Murray) | 0-2 |
| 20 | Baylee DeSmit | 0-3 |
| 60 | Andrea Fernández | 0-4 |
| 75 | Andrea Fernández | 0-5 |
Wrexham’s response and match details
Wrexham sought to respond after falling behind. Lili Jones tested the opposition with a powerful effort that cleared the crossbar, and goalkeeper Lucy Farrell was called into action early in the second half with a fingertip save to keep out a drive from Andrea Fernández.
- Sporting Jacksonville led 3-0 inside 20 minutes.
- Wrexham made a number of changes at half-time as the team looked to build match fitness and test options ahead of the Champions League.
- Andrea Fernández completed a brace in the second half, sealing a 5-0 victory for the visitors.
Although the scoreline was heavy, the match served as a full run-out to sharpen fitness and tactics before Wrexham switch focus to a major fixture. The Adran Premier champions will return to The Rock next Wednesday to face FC Pyunik in their opening Champions League fixture.
Local perspective and what’s next
For the management and players, the friendly offered a stern assessment of areas requiring attention against higher-level opponents. The game exposed defensive frailties and finishing superiority from a well-drilled USL Super League side, while also affording opportunities for squad members to stake a claim for selection ahead of next week’s match.
Supporters can expect Wrexham to refine personnel and tactics in the coming days. With the Champions League fixture at The Rock imminent, preparations will now concentrate on recovery, analysis of this encounter, and finalising the starting XI and game plan to face FC Pyunik.
