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 campaign. After a 2‑0 triumph 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 separate fixtures. The match began with Liverpool forced to reshuffle their back line after Joe Gomez suffered a knock against Sunderland. Stand‑in captain Dominik Szoboszlai slotted into the centre‑back role, a position far removed from his usual midfield duties.
Despite the positional shift, Szoboszlai remained an attacking threat, delivering a pinpoint pass to Harvey Elliott in the first half. Elliott, in turn, set up Josh Abe, whose low drive was comfortably saved by former Liverpool custodian Danny Ward, now guarding Wrexham’s goal. The half‑time interval saw Iraola make four tactical adjustments, one of which was the introduction of teenage prospect Rio Ngumoha.
Ngumoha’s energy and directness proved decisive. In the 75th minute he surged into the heart of the Wrexham defence, unleashed a powerful strike that was deflected before looping over the line for the match’s only goal. The youngster’s composure under pressure highlighted the depth of talent emerging from Liverpool’s academy and underscored Iraola’s willingness to give young players meaningful minutes. Wrexham’s striker Kieffer Moore had a golden opportunity in the closing stages, only to mishit a close‑range effort, allowing Liverpool to preserve their lead.
The final whistle confirmed a 1‑0 win, marking Liverpool’s second consecutive victory on American soil and reinforcing their growing confidence ahead of the season. Looking ahead, the squad will head to Chicago for a showdown with Leeds United on Sunday. That fixture promises to feature a host of high‑profile signings and loan players, including German prodigy Florian Wirtz, Dutch midfielder Ryan Gravenberch, and Swedish forward Alexander Isak, all of whom are expected to make their first pre‑season appearances for the Reds. Iraola hinted that the match will also serve as a platform for new signing Jeremy Jacquet to showcase his abilities.
In post‑match comments, Iraola acknowledged that his side still needs time to fully absorb his tactical philosophy. "Overall we were more solid than the other day," he said. "The pitch was narrow and the space limited, but we showed good periods of collective play.
Even though we scored more against Sunderland, today we were a tighter unit." He added that the team is not yet at the level he envisions. "We sometimes arrive too late in phases of the game, but it’s a step forward, especially compared with the first half against Sunderland. As we progress, each game should bring us closer to the ideal performance.
We’re integrating a lot of young players now, and the senior squad will start training with us soon, so we can begin the season in a strong position." Iraola also confirmed that the senior internationals who missed the early part of the tour due to the World Cup will be introduced gradually. "My plan is to give Ryan, Florian and Alex their first minutes against Leeds, along with Jacquet," he explained. "We’ll assess how many minutes they can handle, but we need to ease the senior players back into match rhythm." The upcoming schedule for Liverpool’s pre‑season includes: - August 2: Liverpool vs Leeds United – Chicago, 21:00 BST - August 9: Liverpool vs Monaco – Anfield, 14:30 BST - August 16: Liverpool vs Como – Anfield, 18:00 BST These fixtures will allow the manager to fine‑tune tactics, evaluate the fitness of new acquisitions, and blend the youthful exuberance of players like Ngumoha with the experience of seasoned internationals.
As the tour progresses, Liverpool aims to solidify a cohesive playing style that balances defensive solidity with attacking flair, setting the stage for a competitive campaign in the Premier League and Europe. Fans can stay updated through the Sky Sports app, follow live updates on WhatsApp, and look out for promotional offers such as the Super 6 competition, which gives a chance to win £250,000. The Reds’ American adventure continues, and with each match the squad edges closer to a fully integrated, high‑performing unit ready to challenge for honours in the 2026/27 season.