What a week it has been for Ryan Reynolds.
Back in his hometown of Vancouver following a whirlwind press tour for the movie 鈥楧eadpool & Wolverine鈥� 鈥� which opened in theatres on Friday 鈥� the co-chair of Welsh third-tier side Wrexham AFC watched his team deliver a 4-1 win over the Vancouver Whitecaps on Saturday.
At the international friendly at BC Place, many of the 34,738 fans in attendance were decked out in red and white jerseys and scarves, cheering enthusiastically for players such as Ollie Palmer and Jordan Davies who they鈥檝e come to know through the popular FX docuseries 鈥淲elcome to Wrexham.鈥�
鈥淚t鈥檚 beautiful,鈥� said Whitecaps coach Vanni Sartini, untroubled by the final result. 鈥淭his tells you the power of storytelling. Wrexham tells a story with the documentary, with how people get behind the thing even if they鈥檙e so far apart, even if they鈥檙e not soccer fans or whatever.鈥�
After starting their weeklong 鈥淲rex Coast Tour鈥� with draws in California against Premier League sides Bournemouth and Chelsea, Wrexham closed out strong win a decisive win.
鈥淵ou can see Vancouver, they鈥檝e got some real talented players out there in terms of intelligent footballers,鈥� said manager Phil Parkinson. 鈥淭he rotations are good. They can turn sharp on the ball. And I thought it was a great exercise for us to deal with that kind of rotation all over the pitch.鈥�
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鈥� Vancouver Whitecaps FC (@WhitecapsFC)
The game matched up an MLS squad in midseason form against a Wrexham side that is two weeks away from making its debut in England鈥檚 League One, following back-to-back promotions.
鈥淚t鈥檚 been three really tough games for us,鈥� said Wrexham midfielder George Evans. 鈥淲e鈥檝e learned a lot defensively. I think even today. It鈥檚 been a great preparation trip for us, and we know it鈥檚 gonna be a tough season, League One. Feeling ready.鈥�
Sebastian Revan, James McClean, Elliot Lee and Jordan Davies scored for Wrexham, while Giuseppe Bovalina replied for Vancouver. Wrexham led the shots 10-4 (6-3 on target).
Revan scored the only goal of the game鈥檚 first half, firing the ball past Vancouver 鈥榢eeper Isaac Boehmer after a tidy cross from Andy Cannon was deflected to him by Lee.
After substitutions began in earnest on both sides in the second half, Vancouver drew even in the 55th minute when Pedro Vite popped the ball loose to Ahmed, who fed Giuseppe Bovalina for the shot.
In the 62nd minute, Boehmer made way for Joe Bendik in the Whitecaps net. Six minutes later, a wide-open McClean paced a perfect header into the net. Lee followed up in the 71st minute and Davies closed out the scoring in the 82nd minute.
鈥淎t minute 60, we were 1-1 and probably had more chances than them,鈥� Sartini said. 鈥淭hen, the classic thing that sometimes happens in pre-season 鈥� they put in all the experienced players, we put in all the young players, and it鈥檚 a bit of a mismatch.鈥�
With a number of regulars absent or seeing limited minutes, the Whitecaps signed six players from their second team to short-term agreements ahead of Saturday鈥檚 game. Defender Finn Linder was featured in the starting lineup, and all six saw match action.
鈥淚 told them at the end, take the applause,鈥� Sartini said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 also for you guys.鈥�
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Wrexham co-chair Rob McElhenney has accompanied the team on the entire North American tour. He was also in the box beside Reynolds on Saturday.
And while the Red Dragons have grown accustomed to the scrutiny that comes with being documentary subjects, Parkinson admits they might play with a little extra zest when both their owners are watching them live.
鈥淲e鈥檝e got to be up for every game because there鈥檚 always a spotlight on us,鈥� he said. 鈥淥bviously, Ryan鈥檚 been incredibly busy with his movie and the PR for that. But you know, if they say they鈥檙e going to be somewhere, they鈥檙e there.
鈥淚 think that was fantastic that Ryan was here today, being his home city. Enormous credit to him to make sure he was here today.鈥�
Former Whitecap and current Canadian national team captain Alphonso Davies also took in the match from a box.
With a successful North American tour now wrapped for a second consecutive year, Wrexham now returns to The Racecourse Ground in Wales to finish out its pre-season against Fleetwood on Aug. 3. The Red Dragons will host the Wycombe Wanderers for their League One debut on Aug. 10.
After they visit LAFC for a Leagues Cup group stage match on Tuesday, the Whitecaps will host Club Tijuana in Cup action at BC Place on Aug. 3.
Carol Schram, The Canadian Press
