Ngumoha’s 75th‑minute strike hands the Red Dragons their first preseason defeat in front of 42,204 at Yankee Stadium.
By: J.J. Pavlick | New York, NY | July 29, 2026 |
NEW YORK, N.Y. — Wrexham AFC’s U.S. Tour rolled into the Bronx on Saturday night, where more than 42,000 fans packed Yankee Stadium to watch the Red Dragons take Liverpool to the brink before a late deflection sealed a 1–0 defeat. It was Wrexham’s first loss of the 2026/27 preseason, and it took England international Rio Ngumoha, a heavy ricochet, and 75 minutes of pressure to finally break them down.
Liverpool’s young lineup started brightly, forcing goalkeeper Danny Ward into action within minutes. Ward denied Callum Scanlon one‑on‑one, stood tall against Lewis Koumas, and kept Wrexham level through a demanding opening spell. The Red Dragons grew into the match, creating chances of their own: Sam Smith’s early effort deflected over, Callum Doyle headed wide from a deep Lewis O’Brien cross, and Davis Keillor‑Dunn curled just past the far post after weaving through two defenders.
Giorgi Mamardashvili, Liverpool’s Georgian international, was equally busy. He denied Smith twice—once spreading himself well as the striker chased a bouncing long ball and again with a low save on a volley that echoed Smith’s promotion‑sealing strike against Charlton Athletic. Wrexham’s brand‑new red home kit looked sharp under preseason lights, and Matty James captained the side with authority as both teams went into halftime scoreless.
The second half opened with immediate urgency. Within 19 seconds, O’Brien’s cross flashed in front of Harry Ashfield, and Ryan Longman fired wide at the back post. At the other end, Dan Scarr’s sliding challenge denied Koumas, and Dominik Szoboszlai’s long‑range follow‑up was headed over.
Wholesale changes arrived in the 63rd minute, with Callum Burton replacing Ward and a full outfield shift bringing Max Cleworth, Dom Hyam, Lewis Brunt, Aaron James, Libby Cacace, George Dobson, Nathan Broadhead, Bailey Cadamarteri, and Kieffer Moore into the match. Broadhead immediately tested Mamardashvili, cutting inside and forcing a diving save. Dobson then fired over moments later.
Liverpool finally broke through in 75 minutes. Ngumoha darted inside and struck with his right foot; the shot clipped Brunt’s heel, looping high and dropping cruelly over Burton. Wrexham nearly equalized four minutes later when Brunt met Dobson’s cross six yards out, but his header sailed over under pressure from Curtis Jones. Moore had two late looks, one slightly behind him and one blocked in stoppage time, but Liverpool held on.
After the match, manager Phil Parkinson praised his squad’s resilience and the quality of the performance.
“Dan had to pull off some good saves early, but he kept us in the game,” Parkinson said. “We grew into the half and had good moments ourselves. If you look at the last three games—Man United, Leeds, and Liverpool—the worst result is a 1–0 defeat; that’s not a bad return.”
Parkinson also reflected on the atmosphere inside Yankee Stadium.
“It was brilliant, honestly,” he said. “The experience of being at the stadium tonight was one you’ll always remember. A great atmosphere, a great arena, very special.”
The pitch, lively in the early stages, required adjustment.
“The lads found it difficult early on, but you’ve got to handle it,” Parkinson said. “We got better as the game went on.”
Liverpool’s new manager impressed Parkinson with his early tactical identity.
“They looked to go in behind and stretch the game,” he said. “It’s early days, but they did that well.”
Wrexham leave New York with a narrow defeat but a performance that reinforced their preseason trajectory: organized, competitive, and capable of pushing elite opposition deep into matches. The Red Dragons continue their U.S. Tour with confidence intact, and a Bronx crowd of 42,204 is now fully aware of their rise.
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