Liverpool secured a 1-0 victory over Wrexham in a pre-season friendly held in New York, with a late goal from Rio Ngumoha. The match, played at Yankee Stadium, saw Liverpool maintain their winning streak on their United States tour.
The decisive moment came with 15 minutes remaining when Ngumoha, a 17-year-old player, scored after his effort deflected off Lewis Brunt and looped over substitute goalkeeper Callum Burton. This goal settled the contest in favour of Andoni Iraola’s side.
Match Details and Key Moments
The game featured several notable plays from both teams. Early in the match, Liverpool had an opportunity to take the lead within three minutes. Dominik Szoboszlai delivered a pass to Harvey Elliott, who then set up Josh Abe. However, Abe’s shot was saved by former Liverpool goalkeeper Danny Ward.
Shortly after, Lewis Koumas attempted a low shot from outside the area that narrowly missed the bottom corner. Wrexham also created chances, with Sam Smith having a shot deflected by Ifeanyi Ndukwe over the crossbar. Smith was involved again when he connected with a long pass, forcing Giorgi Mamardashvili off his line to clear the danger.
Around the 33-minute mark, Koumas appealed for a penalty after claiming he was tripped by Dan Scarr while trying to reach a through ball from Szoboszlai, but the appeals were dismissed by the officials.
At half-time, Liverpool manager Andoni Iraola made four changes to his squad. Despite these changes, Wrexham had an early second-half chance when Ryan Longman skewed a shot wide from a cross. Koumas continued to be active, setting up Elliott, whose shot was parried by Ward. Ward was also called into action to save a shot from Szoboszlai.
Wrexham’s Nathan Broadhead tested Mamardashvili with a long-range shot, requiring a diving save. However, it was Ngumoha’s goal that ultimately broke the deadlock. Szoboszlai initiated the play, rolling the ball to Ngumoha, who then advanced into the box before scoring.
Towards the end of the match, Wrexham had an opportunity to equalise, but Kieffer Moore scuffed a shot from close range following a delivery from Brunt, ensuring Liverpool’s victory.
Team Line-ups and Statistics
Liverpool’s starting line-up featured a 4-2-3-1 formation under manager Andoni Iraola. Key players included Milos Kerkez, who wore the captain’s armband, and Dominik Szoboszlai. Substitutions in the second half brought on players such as Tsimikas, Sonni-Lambie, McConnell, Morrison, Jones, Ndiaye, Frimpong, Ngumoha, and Wright.
Wrexham, managed by Phil Parkinson, played in a 3-4-3 formation. The match statistics showed Liverpool with 60.7% overall possession compared to Wrexham’s 39.3%. Wrexham had more shots with 11 compared to Liverpool’s 9, though both teams had 3 goalkeeper saves.
In terms of distribution, Liverpool completed 651 total passes with an 89.2% pass accuracy, while Wrexham had 408 total passes with 80.6% accuracy. Defensively, Wrexham made 17 total tackles with a 70.6% won tackle percentage, compared to Liverpool’s 4 total tackles and 50% won tackle percentage. Both teams committed 10 fouls.
Pre-Season Tour Progress
This win marks Liverpool’s second victory in their United States tour. Their first match was a 4-2 win against Sunderland in Nashville. The team is scheduled to play another fixture against Leeds United in Chicago on Sunday.
The attendance for the match at Yankee Stadium was recorded as 42,204.
Source: bbc.co.uk