Wrexham A.F.C. were defeated 1-0 by Liverpool in a pre-season friendly in New York, with Rio Ngumoha's deflected strike proving the difference. The 17-year-old sensation was deployed off the right and scored the only goal in the 75th minute, an action which proved the difference at the famous Yankee Stadium.
What happened?
Rio Ngumoha's deflected strike looped in off Wrexham defender Lewis Brunt, giving Liverpool a 1-0 win in the pre-season friendly. The Reds had been linked with a big-money move for Paris Saint-Germain's Bradley Barcola, but Ngumoha's impressive cameo has raised questions about the club's plans.
Why it matters for Wrexham A.F.C.
The result continued Liverpool's winning start to pre-season, but it also left Wrexham A.F.C. with a lot to think about. The Dragons had been looking to build on their recent form, but they were unable to get a result against the Reds.
What comes next?
Liverpool's pre-season tour of the United States finishes against Leeds United at Chicago's Soldier Field on 2 August. Wrexham A.F.C. will be looking to bounce back from this defeat and get their pre-season campaign back on track.
Wrexham A.F.C. are currently 7th in the Championship, with 71 points from 46 games. They have scored 69 goals and conceded 65, with a goal difference of +4. They are 24 points behind leaders Coventry in the title race.
The result continued Liverpool's winning start to pre-season, with the Reds now having won two games in a row. Ngumoha's impressive cameo has raised questions about the club's plans for Bradley Barcola, and it remains to be seen how willing Liverpool will be to break the bank for the Paris Saint-Germain youngster.
Liverpool's manager, Andoni Iraola, was pleased with the result, saying: "I think overall we were more solid than the other day. It was a different kind of game, the pitch is quite narrow and there are not a lot of spaces. But I think we had good spells. And even if the other day maybe you score more goals and it looks nicer, I think today we were more a team and more collective."
Iraola also spoke about the need to infuse his identity into the squad, saying: "I think we're still not there. We are sometimes arriving late, but I think it's a step forward, since especially the first half against Sunderland. That is more of a reference than the second half. Slowly, slowly I hope every game we are closer and closer. We start to add new bodies, because now we are playing with a lot of the young players. Slowly, slowly we have to add the senior players that are starting to train with us, so we can arrive to the beginning of the season in a good place."
The result has left Liverpool with a transfer conundrum, with Ngumoha's impressive cameo raising questions about the club's plans for Bradley Barcola. It remains to be seen how willing Liverpool will be to break the bank for the Paris Saint-Germain youngster, and whether they will be able to add him to their squad before the start of the season.
