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Wrexham is lowest-ranked team left in the world’s oldest soccer knockout competition, 71 places below todays opponent in English soccer’s pyramid.
Sheffield United played at Wrexham’s sold-out Racecourse Ground in northeast Wales, about 28 miles south of Liverpool.
Liverpool’s FA Cup title defense is over. Fifth-tier Wrexham, under its Hollywood owners, is still alive and well in the famous old competition.
On a dramatic day of late goals, Liverpool became the latest high-profile club to exit the FA Cup as the defending champions conceded a goal in the second minute of stoppage time to lose 2-1 at Brighton in the fourth round.
It’s only January but Liverpool is already out of the FA Cup and League Cup, languishing in ninth place in the Premier League and its only realistic chance of silverware this season is in the Champions League — where a last-16 matchup against Real Madrid awaits next month.
“I feel sorry for the fans … We let them down again,” Liverpool defender Andy Robertson said.
Sheffield United left it even later than Brighton — much to the despair of Ryan Reynolds.
The movie star, who co-owns fifth-tier Wrexham with fellow Hollywood actor Rob McElhenney, flew in to watch the match at the atmospheric Racecourse Ground with one of his daughters and was put on an emotional roller coaster in a 3-3 draw against the visitors from the second tier.
Sheffield United scored its equalizer in the fifth minute of stoppage time to force a replay, meaning Wrexham — the lowest-ranked team left in the competition — will be in the draw for the last 16 being held on Monday.
As the famous quote from the Ted Lasso series aptly describes my sport affinity. “Football is Life.”
The rest of this Sunday afternoon and evening will be binge watching Stalone in Tulsa King. I had lost interest in his acting many years ago but decide to give this a try because of the producer, Taylor Sheridon. The series and Stalone are very good and worth a look see.
CLICK HERE for the trailer. ____________________________________
Speaking of football. Most MLS teams play in soccer specific stadiums. I am on a mission to visit as many as possible before my expiration date. Last year I got to experience games in Austin, Houston, and Columbus, OH.
I just booked a trip to Charlotte in May and am also looking into Cincinnati, Nashville or St. Louis for my 2023 stadium visits. I prefer to celebrate these road trips with the home fans as opposed to going when my home team, New England, plays at those venues.
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In other news. Sue and I will be traveling to Vietnam four short weeks from now. Last spring, we booked a tour of Europe with Gate 1 Travel. It was our first time with this company. Every other travelers had done multiple trips with Gate 1 and the general consensus was Vietnam was the best place they had been. Sue and I are both looking forward to seeing the country, but the flight….not so much.
We fly from Boston to JFK, and board an Asian Air 14 hour nonstop to Seoul South Korea. A two hour layover and we are off to Ho Chi Minh City. I’m anticipating a killer jet lag.
A Midnight Rider 
Yep, football is life. In 2018, when England beat Sweden in the World Cup quarter-final, two English friends were on the road at 5 AM in order to be at the lunch stop of our trans-continental tour in time for a 9 AM (local time) start to that match. Our trail boss had found a pub that agreed to open early and tune the TV to the right station. This was in Moorcroft, WY.
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