Yankee Stadium game highlights Wrexham's rise - Ward

[Getty Images] 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.