Liverpool kept their flawless start to the Andoni Iraola era alive by edging out Wrexham 1-0 in their second friendly of the 2026/27 pre‑season schedule. After a comfortable win over Sunderland in Nashville, the Reds travelled to the iconic Yankee Stadium in New York for a sterner test against a Wrexham side that had recently upset both Manchester United and Leeds United in their own preparatory matches.
The match began with Liverpool forced to reshuffle their back line when veteran defender Joe Gomez suffered an injury against Sunderland. Stand‑in captain Dominik Szoboszlai was thrust into a centre‑back role, a position that is far from his usual midfield duties. Despite the positional shift, Szoboszlai remained influential in Liverpool’s attacking play.
Early in the first half he delivered a precise pass to Harvey Elliott, whose quick feet set up Josh Abe for a shot that was comfortably saved by former Liverpool custodian Danny Ward, who now guards Wrexham’s goal. The first half was a tight affair with both sides probing for openings, but the decisive moment arrived after the interval. Iraola made four tactical changes at halftime, one of which introduced teenage prospect Rio Ngumoha into the lineup. Ngumoha, a dynamic youngster known for his burst of pace and technical skill, immediately made an impact.
He drove forward into the heart of the Wrexham defence, forcing a scramble that resulted in a deflected strike. The ball looped over the goalkeeper and found the back of the net fifteen minutes from full‑time, providing Liverpool with the only goal of the encounter. Wrexham attempted a comeback in the closing stages.
Their striker Kieffer Moore created a promising chance inside the box but mis‑controlled the ball at close range, allowing Liverpool to retain their slender lead. The Reds defended resolutely, securing a second consecutive win on American soil. Following the victory, the squad will head to Chicago for their final U.S. friendly, where they will meet Leeds United on Sunday.
That match promises to be a showcase for several high‑profile signings who are still in the early stages of their pre‑season conditioning, including German attacking midfielder Florian Wirtz, Dutch midfielder Ryan Gravenberch, and Swedish forward Alexander Isak. All three have been training in Chicago after their national teams exited the recent World Cup, and they are expected to receive their first minutes in Liverpool colours during the Leeds game.
In a post‑match interview, Iraola reflected on the performance, acknowledging that his side still needs time to fully adapt to his tactical philosophy. "Overall we were more solid than the other day," he said. "The pitch is narrow and there isn’t a lot of space, but we had good spells. Even if we scored more goals in the previous game, today we were more of a collective unit." He added that the team is not yet at the level he desires.
"We sometimes arrive too late, but it’s a step forward, especially compared with the first half against Sunderland. That is more of a reference than the second half.
Slowly, I hope each game we get closer and closer. We’re starting to add new bodies, because now we are playing with a lot of the young players. We have to bring in the senior players who are beginning to train with us so we can start the season in a good place." Iraola also confirmed that the upcoming clash with Leeds will feature a rotation that includes some of his marquee signings.
He specifically mentioned that Ryan Gravenberch, Florian Wirtz, Alexander Isak, and recent acquisition Jeremy Jacquet are all likely to make their first appearances for Liverpool during the Chicago fixture. "We’ll see how many minutes they can play, but we have to start slowly integrating more senior players who have had fewer training sessions. I think they should be ready on the weekend to have their first minutes," he explained. The schedule for the remainder of Liverpool’s pre‑season tour is as follows: August 2 – Liverpool vs Leeds in Chicago at 9 p.m.; August 9 – Liverpool vs Monaco back at Anfield at 2.30 p.m.; August 16 – Liverpool vs Como at Anfield at 6 p.m.
The club also promoted a Super 6 competition offering a £250,000 prize, encouraging fans to engage with the brand during the build‑up to the new campaign. Overall, the victory in New York not only extended Liverpool’s unbeaten pre‑season run but also provided a valuable platform for young talents like Rio Ngumoha to shine, while giving the coaching staff a clear view of where the squad stands in terms of tactical cohesion and fitness ahead of the demanding 2026/27 season.