Tommy Smith and Monty Patterson’s New Zealand were comfortably beaten 2-0 by hosts Russia in the opening game of the Confederations Cup in St Petersburg.
A Michael Boxall own goal on 31 set the Russians - who were watched by their president Vladimir Putin - on their way and Fedor Smolov added the second in the 69th minute.
Smith, who was winning his 33rd full cap and has scored two international goals, started and played the full 90 minutes.
The 27-year-old came closest to netting for the All Whites with a powerful 78th minute header from a corner which was cleared off the line.
Patterson, 20, won his 12th cap when he came off the bench in the 84th minute as New Zealand chased the game but was unable to add to his single international goal. Former Blues loanee Chris Wood skippered.
The All Whites are next in action against Mexico in Sochi on Wednesday and then face Portugal back in St Petersburg next Saturday.
Patterson left, Smith second left
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The TWTV team reflect on the 1-0 home defeat to Brentford and are joined by former Town striker Alan Lee to look at the Blues’ frontline as well as Adam Wilkin, who provides a statistical overview of the season.
Highlights of this afternoon’s 1-0 home defeat to Brentford.
Brentford manager Thomas Frank admitted his side’s 1-0 victory over the Blues was as difficult as he had anticipated.
Boss Kieran McKenna believes VAR “in its current guise” is “taking from the game as a spectacle”, the Blues’ 1-0 home defeat to Brentford having been repeatedly stopped for incidents which the Town manager believes were marginal decisions rather than clear and obvious errors.
Town goalkeeper Alex Palmer feels sustaining a performance over 90 minutes is the Blues’ target following the 1-0 defeat to Brentford at Portman Road.
Kevin Schade’s 18th-minute goal saw Brentford to a 1-0 victory over the Blues at Portman Road. The German international headed home a controversial three-times-taken corner with the Blues ultimately worthy of a point, Omari Hutchinson coming closest with a late strike which visitors keeper Mark Flekken pushed onto a post.
If you saw the match, please give us your player ratings and a mini match report.
Kevin Schade’s 18th-minute goal has given Brentford a 1-0 half-time lead over the Blues at Portman Road.
FAWNL Southern Premier Division champions Ipswich Town Women were honoured with a special ceremony on the Cornhill, receiving the acclaim of thousands of residents and Blues fans on a glorious morning in Ipswich.
Town boss Kieran McKenna has made one change for this afternoon’s penultimate home game of the season with Axel Tuanzebe returning to the starting XI.