Wrexham

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

Image source, FAW

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."

Manager Phil Parkinson looks ahead to Wrexham's pre-season tour to the United States.

Wrexham are set for a triple header of friendlies in the USA against Leeds United (Sunday, 26 July), Liverpool (Thursday, 30 July) and Sunderland (Sunday, 2 August).

Harry Souttar is a potential transfer target for West Ham United following Leicester City's relegation to League One. The Hammers' Championship rivals Wrexham, Sheffield United and the 27-year-old defender's former club Stoke City are also interested in the Australian international. (Daily Record), external

West Ham are also interested in taking 19-year-old Arsenal defender Jaden Dixon on loan. Dixon joined Arsenal from Stoke in March having started his career at the Gunners' north London rivals, Tottenham. (Pete O'Rourke), external

You can find more of Monday's EFL gossip here.

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Phil Parkinson has confirmed that Elliot Lee and Ryan Hardie missed Wrexham's 1-0 pre-season friendly win over Manchester United due to injury.

Lee, 31, and Hardie, 29, were not part of the squad that travelled to Helsinki, Finland but were named in the group that went to Poland last week.

Attacking midfielder Lee, who has been at Wrexham since 2022, played the second half of a 0-0 draw against Wilsa Krakow. Hardie did not feature.

Parkinson hopes the duo have not suffered serious injuries and is optimistic about welcoming other unavailable players back to the squad before friendlies in the USA.

"It's like the building blocks for us going into the American tour now," he told Wrexham's website after their victory over Premier League Man United.

"We can bring a few players [back] now - Libby [Liberto Cacace], Sheafy [Ben Sheaf] and Josh Windass.

"Ryan Hardie and Elliot [Lee] have unfortunately picked up injuries which are hopefully not too serious.

"We have got other players to come back into that group but I feel the lads are progressing well. That's a good base to go to America with."

Full-back Cacace has returned to Wrexham training after representing New Zealand at the 2026 World Cup.

Wrexham are set for a triple header of friendlies in the USA against Leeds United (Sunday, 26 July), Liverpool (Thursday, 30 July) and Sunderland (Sunday, 2 August).

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Wrexham maintained their impressive start to pre-season with a 1-0 victory over Manchester United.

A week on from their 0-0 draw with Polish side Wisla Krakow, Sam Smith netted the only goal of the contest as Phil Parkinson's men defeated Michael Carrick's Premier League side in Helsinki, Finland.

The former Red Devils academy product tapped Lewis O'Brien's cross into the net in the opening half in what was an encouraging showing from the Championship side.

Wrexham return to action with a triple header against Leeds United, Liverpool and Sunderland in the USA.

They start their competitive campaign at Middlesbrough in the first round of the Carabao Cup on Friday, 7 August before getting their Championship season under way at Cardiff City on Monday, 17 August.

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Dom Hyam and Nathan Broadhead are back in the Wrexham squad for Saturday's friendly against Manchester United, but Phil Parkinson is again without a handful of senior players for the trip to Helsinki.

Centre-back Hyam is involved after missing last weekend's draw against Wisla Krakow having been given extra time off as a result of his World Cup involvement with Scotland.

Wales international forward Broadhead is included by the Championship side after sitting out the Wisla Krakow trip to get another week of training under his belt.

Liberato Cacace will not face United despite returning to Wrexham after going to the World Cup with New Zealand, while Max Cleworth, Ben Sheaf and Josh Windass are again absent following injury issues.

Elliot Lee and Ryan Longman, who both featured in Poland last Saturday, are not involved in this squad.