Wrexham striker Paul Mullin had to leave the pitch while receiving oxygen after suffering a punctured lung in the first half of the team’s 3-1 win over Manchester United in San Diego.
It was an ill-tempered affair for a preseason friendly and Mullin was forced off after just 20 minutes following a late challenge by United goalkeeper Nathan Bishop.
Wrexham manager Phil Parkinson told reporters after the match that he was “fuming” with the tackle.
“It was a clumsy, reckless challenge in a preseason game and I’m not happy with it at all,” Parkinson said. “I haven’t seen the goalie and he’s probably best steering clear of us for the time being because we’re not very happy.”
After the game, Bishop tweeted Mullin to offer his “sincerest apologies.”
“A complete misjudgement and a genuine accident with zero malicious intent at all!” he wrote. “Wishing you the speediest recovery and hope to see you back scoring goals as soon as possible!”
United was playing with a squad made up of youth players – plus veteran defender Jonny Evans, who signed a short-term contract with the club to play in the preseason – as the first-team squad prepares for its match against Real Madrid on Wednesday.
Elliot Lee and Aaron Hayden gave Wrexham a two-goal lead, before Marc Jurado halved the deficit just before halftime. Sam Dalby then scored 20 minutes from the end to seal the win.
Despite only earning promotion from the fifth to the fourth tier of English soccer last season, Wrexham has become a global sensation after being taken over by actors Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney.
Their takeover of the Welsh club has been documented in the hit TV show ‘Welcome to Wrexham,’ with season two set to air in September.