Substitute’s 75th-minute shot gives Liverpool 1-0 win in New York.
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. Ngumoha, a second half substitute who Iraola deployed on the right, satisfied the majority of a 42,204 crowd with a 75th-minute shot that looped in off Wrexham defender Lewis Brunt. Wrexham’s Hollywood co-owners Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney (now simply Rob Mac) were in attendance for what the former had labelled a “punch-me moment” but in truth few blows were traded at the iconic baseball stadium.
Florian Wirtz, Alexander Isak and Ryan Gravenberch did not make the trip from Liverpool’s training base despite joining up with the squad following their post-World Cup holidays. With Joe Gomez injured and Federico Chiesa also absent through illness, Iraola had little choice but to select another young and experimental side.
Six of Liverpool’s starting line-up had no Premier League experience whatsoever but at least the emphasis on youth offered the crowd a glimpse of the highly-rated Joshua Abe. Abe, a pacy and prolific right winger, is regarded as one of the brightest prospects in the country and was inundated with offers before committing his future to Liverpool when turning 16 earlier this month. Manchester City, Manchester United and Chelsea were all interested in the Warrington-born England youth international, with deals worth £40,000-a-week reportedly on his table.
Abe could have marked his first senior Liverpool start with an early goal when released clear of the Wrexham defence by Harvey Elliott. A heavy first touch gave the Wrexham and former Liverpool goalkeeper Danny Ward opportunity to save at the feet of the teenager. Koumas went close from distance and had a penalty shout waved away but, aside from a few surging midfield runs by Dominik Szoboszlai, it was a quiet friendly.
Abe, Scanlon, Milos Kerkez and Trey Nyoni were replaced at half-time by Ngumoha, Kieran Morrison, Kostas Tsimikas and Curtis Jones respectively. Elliott was presented with a sight of the Wrexham goal by Koumas minutes after the restart but his first-time shot from 20 yards was well saved by Ward. Wrexham substitute Nathan Broadhead almost succeeded with a powerful drive from 25 yards that was pushed away by Mamardashvili. Brunt and Kieffer Moore both had good late chances to equalise but miscued from close range.