Smith and New Zealand Lose - Ipswich Town News
Tommy Smith and New Zealand lost 2-0 to the UAE in the final of the OSN Cup in a sweltering Riyadh this evening. The Blues centre-half was winning his 24th full cap.
The UAE went ahead via Ahmad Khalil in the 11th minute with Ali Mabkhout adding the second on the hour mark.
In the closing minutes the All Whites, who beat hosts Saudi Arabia 1-0 in their opening game on Thursday, were reduced to 10 men when Ben Sigmund was red-carded.
Town right-back Elliott Hewitt is in Moldova with the Wales U21 squad for Tuesday’s Euro 2015 qualifier.
The 19-year-old looks set to win his eighth cap as the Welsh youngsters try to put Friday’s defeat to San Marino behind them.
Academy first-year scholar Cemal Ramadan is with the Republic of Ireland U17 squad for two friendlies against Slovakia in Bratislava. The first game is on Tuesday and the second on Thursday.
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AJ Auxerre 0-3 Ipswich Town - Match ReportGoals from George Hirst, Jacob Greaves and Ali Al-Hamadi saw Town to a 3-0 victory over French Ligue 1 side Auxerre in their final pre-season friendly at the Stade de l’Abbé-Deschamps. Hirst put the Blues in front on 38 and Greaves added the second with a header from a free-kick in first-half injury time, before Al-Hamadi added the third with five minutes remaining of the match.
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