Harambee Stars defender Zak Vyner was in action on Friday night as Wrexham AFC fought back from two goals down to secure a hard-earned 2-2 draw against West Bromwich Albion in an entertaining EFL Championship clash at The Hawthorns.
Vyner, who has increasingly become a reliable option in Wrexham’s defensive setup with the him now being deployed in the defensive midfield role, featured for 69 minutes before being substituted as manager Phil Parkinson made tactical changes late in the second half.
His contribution was part of a resilient Wrexham performance that saw the visitors recover from a difficult first half to claim a valuable point away from home.
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Wrexham started the match with intent, showing early attacking ambition through Issa Kaboré and George Thomason, but West Brom gradually grew into the game. The hosts took the lead in the 26th minute after a low delivery into the box resulted in an unfortunate own goal by George Dobson, giving the Baggies an early advantage.
West Brom doubled their lead in the 39th minute when Josh Maja converted from the penalty spot after a foul inside the area, sending Wrexham into the break trailing 2-0.
Despite the setback, Wrexham returned from the interval with renewed energy and purpose. Their persistence paid off just two minutes into the second half when Josh Windass produced a brilliant finish from the edge of the area to pull one back and reignite the contest. The goal shifted momentum in favour of the visitors, who began to dominate possession and create more chances in the attacking third.
Vyner played an active role during this period, using his physical presence and long throw-ins to create pressure on the West Brom defence. One of his long throws nearly led to a goal, with Sam Smith getting a touch before the ball drifted just wide.
Wrexham continued pushing forward, and their efforts were rewarded in the 62nd minute when Lewis O’Brien cleverly flicked home from close range to level the match at 2-2.
With the game finely balanced, Parkinson introduced fresh legs in the 69th minute, withdrawing Vyner and Sam Smith for Nathan Broadhead and Kieffer Moore in a move aimed at maintaining attacking momentum.
West Brom nearly snatched a late winner through Daryl Dike, but Arthur Okonkwo produced a crucial save to keep Wrexham level. At the other end, Moore also came close, but goalkeeper Josh Griffiths denied him as both sides settled for a share of the spoils.
The result sees Wrexham holding on to the promotion play off spots with the Kenyan defender Vyner once again gaining valuable minutes in England’s competitive Championship as he continues to build consistency ahead of future Harambee Stars assignments.
