Tommy Smith and Monty Patterson’s New Zealand will be in action in a friendly against League of Ireland side Cabinteely in Dublin this evening as the All Whites continue their preparations for the Confederations Cup in Russia later this month.
The squad has been training in Dublin since Friday’s 1-0 defeat to Northern Ireland in Belfast in which Smith, 27, played the full 90 minutes and won his 32nd cap, and 20-year-old Patterson came on as a second-half sub to pick up his 10th.
Cabinteely play in the League of Ireland Division One, the second tier of Irish club football.
Head coach Anthony Hudson will pick his final squad for the tournament on Thursday before a final friendly against Belarus in Minsk next Monday.
NEWS I #AllWhites ready to face Dublin club side @Cabinteely_FC #ConfedCup https://t.co/e70XO49mVi pic.twitter.com/ZN56orLMOc– New Zealand Football (@NZ_Football) June 6, 2017
In the Confederations Cup itself the All Whites will take on the hosts in St Petersburg in the opening group game on Saturday 17th June, Mexico in Sochi four days later and then Portugal back in St Petersburg on Saturday June 24th.
Elsewhere, Cardiff are reported to be close to signing Rotherham striker Danny Ward, who was interesting the Blues in January,
According to The Sun, the fee - claimed to be £1 million although previous reports have suggested the Millers want at least double that - and personal terms have already been agreed and the 26-year-old will undergo a medical with the Bluebirds later this week.
Meanwhile, Town launched a new-look official website earlier today, while Ipswich Player HD has been replaced by iFollow, which among other features will provide fans overseas with live streams of every non-televised game from the start of the new season.