Wrexham

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Goalkeeper Danny Ward believes playing against Liverpool at Yankee Stadium is the latest illustration of how far Wrexham have come in recent seasons.

The Wales international had previously visited the iconic New York venue with Liverpool for a pre-season friendly against Manchester City in 2014.

Ward, 33, was between the sticks for hometown club Wrexham this time around as they were beaten 1-0 by Andoni Iraola's Liverpool.

"My last time here in this stadium was with Liverpool against Manchester City, so to be here, playing against Liverpool with Wrexham is a testament to how far the club has come in such a short space of time," he said.

"It's not the result that we wanted but there are plenty of positives, there was loads of good work out there and it holds us in good stead now.

"As a footballer, you want to play against the best and test yourself against someone who is at a level that you want to get to.

"That's ultimately where we want to get this club to. It was a good work out, we are disappointed not to win, pre-season or not, it's never nice to not win."

The defeat against the 2024-25 Premier League champions is Wrexham's only pre-season loss to date. They round off preparations for the new Championship season against Sunderland on Sunday.

Phil Parkinson's charges start their competitive campaign at Middlesbrough in the first round of the Carabao Cup on Friday, 7 August before getting their league season under way at Cardiff City on Monday, 17 August.

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Hollywood owners of Rob Mac and Ryan Reynolds means one thing. Wrexham will spend money as they look to realise their dream of becoming a Premier League side.

On Wednesday evening, the Red Dragons announced their first summer signing as Danny Imray arrived from Crystal Palace.

Wrexham boss Phil Parkinson has previously urged patience in what he describes as a "slow" summer but with one through the door now, Wrexham may have got the ball rolling.

So who follows him? Where else do Wrexham need to recruit?

Give us your views here.

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Phil Parkinson says Wrexham will take encouragement from their narrow 1-0 defeat to Liverpool, and insisted they still know where to improve.

Teenager Rio Ngumoha scored the only goal at Yankee Stadium in New York, while Wrexham went closest through Kieffer Moore late on.

Wales goalkeeper Danny Ward was forced to make early saves against his old club as Parkinson felt Wrexham were loose to start.

But the triple promotion-winning manager believes his side did enough to earn a draw against 2024-25 Premier League winners Liverpool.

"I thought we grew into the first half and had some really good moments ourselves," Parkinson told the club's website.

"In the second period, we had a spell where we couldn't get any control in the game at all for 10 minutes.

"Once we made the changes, we started to get some possession and looked threatening again.

"One straight pass, they broke on us, and a deflected goal has decided the game. We've had enough chances to get a goal and at least draw the game.

"It was a really good workout for us against some really talented players."

This defeat was Wrexham's first of pre-season, having previously beaten Leeds United and Manchester United, and drawn at Polish side Wisla Krakow.

"You play Man United, Leeds and Liverpool and you come away with a single-goal defeat as your worst result of the three," Parkinson added.

"You've got to say that's not a bad return in terms of results. In terms of performance, there were periods where we need to get better.

"It's just learning as a team. When we are under a bit of pressure, that's when we need to link the game and give ourselves a breather with the ball."

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Liverpool won their second pre-season fixture of the summer 1-0 against Wrexham in New York, with youngster Rio Ngumoha finding the net via a deflection.

Andoni Iroala's side have now won their opening two pre-season games, after the Reds beat Sunderland 4-2 in Nashville.

Speaking to club media, Iraola said his side "were more solid" than the Sunderland game and that his team played more as a "collective".

"Slowly, slowly I hope every game we are closer and closer," Iraola said.

"We start to add new bodies, because now we are playing with a lot of the young players."

Iroala named an inexperienced starting XI, with Dominik Szoboszlai captaining the side.

Liverpool face Leeds United next in Chicago on 2 August (21:00 BST) and Iraola expects Ryan Gravenberch, Florian Wirtz, Alexander Isak, and Jeremy Jacquet to gain their first pre-season minutes.

"We'll see how many minutes they can play, but we have to start slowly, slowly integrating more of the senior players that have had less training sessions," said Iraola.

"I think they should be ready on the weekend to have their first minutes."

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Wrexham boss Jenny Sugarman remains "incredibly proud" of their achievements after getting knocked out of Women's Champions League qualifying.

The Red Dragons suffered a 4-1 home defeat by Riga FC in the first round qualification final on Saturday evening, having taken the lead early on.

Lili Jones' volley was cancelled out as the Latvian champions scored four second-half goals to reach the second round of qualifying at Wrexham's expense.

Still, Sugarman, who guided Wrexham to their maiden league title in 2025-26, remains proud after leading the club to the first European win by a Welsh side since 2019.

"I thought for the first 45 [minutes] we were excellent. We came out with intent and a game plan to really nullify some of their threats," she said.

"Their number 11 [Miyu Takahira], in the second half, was outstanding, and really turned the screw on us. For 60 minutes we kept her incredibly quiet.

"We've been beaten by a better side with some top quality individual players. I'm massively disappointed; we wanted this journey to go on.

"Getting here was never quite the plan in the first season. We can be incredibly proud of what we've put out across those two games."

Wrexham beat Armenian champions FC Pyunik 4-2 in their Women's Champions League debut at the Racecourse.

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Wrexham manager Phil Parkinson hailed a "great week" in Tampa as his side secured another pre-season win over Premier League opposition by beating Leeds 3-2.

After the win over Manchester United last week, the Welsh side continued their summer form as Sam Smith's late winner proved enough against a team featuring a host of Wales internationals.

The Welsh side led after just 31 seconds as Kieffer Moore fired a low shot home. Former Swansea striker Joel Piroe then missed the chance to level as he put a penalty against the post - before making amends by flicking in from close range.

Bailey Cadamarteri restored the Wrexham lead with a clipped finish, but the teams still went in level at the break after Sean Longstaff hammered high into the net through a crowded penalty area.

Leeds boss Daniel Farke handed Harry Wilson his club debut in the second-half and the Welsh winger duly impressed, but with the game meandering towards a draw it was Smith who settled matters in the 86th minute. The forward evaded Joe Rodon before finishing clinically past sub-keeper Lucas Perri.

"It's been a great week; it really has," said Parkinson afterwards. "We've been looked after so well in Tampa.

"The lads will be pleased. Although it's only pre-season, to beat a Premier League team is a feather in our cap and we'll take it.

"It was a really good workout in very humid conditions. You have to be here to understand how tough it was, but I thought the lads acquitted themselves really well."

Parkinson's side will now turn their focus to their next enticing challenge, a clash with Liverpool at the Yankee Stadium in New York on Wednesday night.

Wrexham head coach Jenny Sugarman speaks on Wrexham's crowd for their Women's Champions League fixture against FC Pyunik

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Head coach Jenny Sugarman says there has been little time to savour Wrexham's historic Women's Champions League debut.

Wrexham celebrated their first European appearance with a thrilling 4-2 victory against FC Pyunik in the first qualifying round semi-final at the Racecourse.

The Adran Premier champions face Riga of Latvia in Saturday's first qualifying round final, also at the Racecourse

Sugarman said: "In football you often don't get much time to enjoy your moment do you?

"Because what comes, and the difference I guess here with our normal league season, is the turnaround time now of the next game.

"We definitely enjoyed the evening, definitely enjoyed the emotion of the evening with the crowd and everything there.

"But full focus moved to game two pretty quickly for the staff in particular.

"It's a full staff team effort and we do pride ourselves on no stone left unturned.

"We had already profiled Riga as an opposition, but they presented a little differently on Wednesday afternoon when we watched them live, which was also really helpful seeing that live."

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Wrexham manager Phil Parkinson says every game on the club's pre-season tour of the US will have its own significance as his side prepare to face Premier League opposition.

Parkinson's men face Leeds United in Tampa on Sunday, 26 July before facing Liverpool at the iconic Yankee Stadium in New York four days later.

Their final pre-season game is against Parkinson's former club Sunderland on Sunday, 2 August in Philadelphia, hometown of Wrexham co-owner Rob Mac.

Wrexham have never met Leeds United in a competitive game, with the clubs meeting only twice in pre-season matches in 1964.

"I think they've all got a special feel to it really," Parkinson said.

"It's quite amazing, really, when you think we've never met Leeds United in a competitive game. It's a brilliant club.

"Obviously going to New York to play Liverpool, an iconic stage and it's going to be something special.

"Then going to Philadelphia, a stadium we've been to before and a really good arena for football and playing against Sunderland.

"Obviously, me and Steve [Parkin] were there for a short period, but that's kind of irrelevant really.

"It's going to Rob's hometown and putting on a show for him and his family as well."