Anis Mehmeti became the first Town player to win a full cap with Albania this evening, while Dara O’Shea, George Hirst and Sindre Walle Egeli were also among those in international action.

Mehmeti won his fourth full cap as a half-time sub, his first appearance for his national side since 2023, as his team were beaten 1-0 in a friendly by Ukraine in Valencia.

Hirst started and won his eighth cap and had a number of chances, largely forged for himself, as Scotland were beaten 1-0 by Cote d’Ivoire, also in a friendly, at Everton’s Hill Dickinson Stadium. The striker was replaced with 13 minutes left on the clock.

O’Shea and Chieo Ogbene, who is on loan at Sheffield United for the season, both started for the Republic of Ireland as they drew 0-0 with North Macedonia in another friendly in Dublin, the Blues skipper playing the full 90 and the winger 84 minutes.

There was World Cup heartbreak for on-loan Town keeper Aro Muric, whose Kosovo side were beaten 1-0 by Turkey in their play-off in Pristina to miss out on a place in the finals.

Another loanee, Ali Al-Hamadi, who is spending the season at Luton, has a chance to join Hirst and Scotland at the finals when they face Bolivia in Mexico their play-off overnight.

Blues U21s central defender Corbin Mthunzi became the first Town player to win a full cap with Zimbabwe when he came on as an 85th-minute substitute as the Warriors beat Zambia 1-0 at the Mukuru 4 Nations tournament in Botswana.

Walle Egeli played the full 90 minutes and won his 12th cap as Norway’s U21s were beaten 2-0 away in a European Championship qualifier in Slovenia.

Midfielder Ryan Carr won his fourth Scotland U21s cap as his side were beaten 3-0 in Portugal, also in a Euros qualifier, playing the first 80 minutes. Blues keeper Woody Williamson was an unused sub.

Forward Josh Pitts played the whole game as Malta’s U21s were beaten 4-1 away in Georgia, winning his seventh U21s cap, again in a European Championship qualifier.

Fellow forward Leon Ayinde was an unused sub for the Republic of Ireland U21s as they won their qualifier 1-0 in Kazakhstan.

Academy defender Oliver Wilkinson played the full 90 minutes and won his third cap as England’s U17s beat Estonia 2-0 at St George’s Park, despite being reduced to 10 men early on.

Striker Sid Eldred was in a Northern Ireland U19s side which drew 0-0 with hosts Lithuania at a friendly tournament, playing the full 90 minutes in his second appearance.

Photo: Tomasz Karczewski/Arena Akcji/Sipa USA via Reuters Connect