Wrexham Edges Leeds in U.S. Preseason Opener

By Daniel Feuerstein | Tampa, FL | July 25th, 2026

The opening match of Wrexham’s preseason tour in the United States is officially underway as the Welsh side in the EFL Championship was getting ready for a big season and hoping to finally get over the hump and reach the Premier League for the first time in their history. They took on a very tough Leeds United side, who were also looking to continue their positive ways for this new season in the top flight. After 90 minutes were done, Wrexham took their first preseason result in this tour by the final score of three goals to two.

Fireworks within the opening minute

As the referee blew his whistle to start the match, Wrexham began with the ball, moving it deep into their end of the pitch. As they worked it along the far side touchline, the pass was given to George Thomason, and he started to make his run with ease, and at the same time Leeds United gave him the space to attack with the ball. Thomason passed it to Kieffer Moore, who was in front of him. Moore entered the area and smashed it in past Alex Cairns 33 seconds into the opening minute for the lead.

“It was a great goal. 30 seconds into the game, you don’t expect to get a chance, but it was an excellent team move, and Tom has done amazing to drive through the pitch and split the pitch, and all I knew I had to do was make a run and stay onside. You know, I’ve done that, finished countless, countless times in training and games, and I knew I could finish it, and thankfully it went in the back of the net,” said Kieffer Moore

Leeds gets a penalty and can’t convert.

We’re not 15 minutes into the match, and all of a sudden, more fireworks pop up when Leeds were trying to make an attacking run to threaten their opposition. Then a looping ball sprung Daniel James to attack the area, and when he just got inside the area, a rushing Arthur Okonkwo came off his line and tripped up James as the referee signalled for a penalty. Joel Piore took the spot kick, and diving to his left was Okonkwo as he got his hands on the ball and shoved it off the inside of the far post and out, then cleared in the 8th minute.

Leeds finally gets their equalizer

Leeds continued to fight and tried to get the equalizer, but finally earned their tally when they attacked the Wrexham area. A lovely through ball was given to Sean Longstaff, and he made the run down the far side. When he reached near the endline, A nice cross to Piore, then out of nowhere, Piore pirouetted and backheeled the ball past Okonkwo inside the front post and scored a pretty goal for a preseason match in the 29th minute.

Breakaway speed gets a goal

It was another run ‘n’ gun goal that Wrexham wanted to create and earned another lead in the match. A pass back to the defenders was mishandled, and that allowed Bailey Cadamarteri to take the ball away and make his attacking run down the pitch. As Cademarteri entered the area, Cairnes came off his line to try and take the ball off his boot, but Cademarteri made a nice move to avoid Cairnes, had a wide-open net to shoot in, and took it to get the lead back in the 40th minute.

“We knew that they were a good side, obviously. We knew that coming in. But we know we’re a good side, and at times we’re going to have to sacrifice a bit of possession to the teams that play in the premiership; we know that, but we know we can also hit them on the break, as shown for my goal, the ball in from Brodie, and then I’ve got half the pitch that I can cover myself. So, yeah, we’ve got a bit of everything. We can keep the ball, but we can also stretch it at times,” said Bailey Cadamarteri.

Another equalizer for Leeds.

As the match was moving into the final minute of normal time in the first half, Leeds continued to attempt to level the match up for the second time. Once they were inside the Wrexham area, Leeds was moving the ball around, trying to see where they could find the moment to score, then out of nowhere Longstaff got the ball, passed it to Callum Mills for the shot, but it was blocked. Then Longstaff got the ball again, and this time he smashed it inside the near post for the second equalizer in the 45th minute.

Sam Smith wins the game

When the second half began, gan both sides made adjustments and substitutions to attempt a third goal, or finish the match with a draw. Both sides were going for it, but with nothing to show. It felt as if this one was going to end in a two-goal draw, but all of a sudden a third goal came, and it was Wrexham that won the game. The ball was in midfield when David Keillor-Dunne sprung Sam Smith into an attacking run. When Smith got inside the area, two defenders got to him, and he held his run. Out of nowhere, re he smashed the ball inside the far post for the win in the 85th minute.

“This was a big test for us tonight. This is a strong team. The heat obviously takes a while to adapt to. But I thought the lads were absolutely brilliant against a really, really good side. The three goals we scored, I’m looking forward to getting back to the hotel, putting them on the big screen and watching them because the first one is an unbelievable move. Great finish from Kepa.

The second one, Bailey Cadamarteri, who we brought in in January and didn’t get many opportunities, has shown all our supporters and everybody what he’s all about. He’s got immense power and pace. And the third goal, there’s brilliant assists from Davis Keeler-Dunn and Sam Smith does what he does. Which is stick the ball in the back of the net. And it’s a great win, but more than that, it’s a good exercise for us tonight against a good side, good players, good movement, good technical ability. The discipline and the communication out of possession had to be bang on.

If it’s not, you get punished, and when it wasn’t, they scored two goals against us. But in the main, we kind of controlled ourselves out of possession and were in the right places quickly to eliminate their chances,” said Phil Parkinson

Wrexham’s next Match on their USA Preseason Tour will be a trip to the Big Apple as they head to the Boogie Down Bronx and face their next Premier League Side Liverpoolat Yankee Stadium. The home of the 27 Time World Series Champions, the New York Yankees.

Follow Bad Dawg Sports as we cover Wrexham’s USA Tour across Florida and the Northeast.