International Round-Up
Wednesday, 11th Jun 2025 09:36 by Kallum Brisset
While Town’s club season is now over, the Blues saw six first-team players get minutes for their countries over the last week during the June internationals. Here is a round-up of how they all fared.
George Hirst struck his first goal for Scotland as the Tartan Army beat Liechtenstein 4-0 in Vaduz on Monday evening.
The Town frontman added to Che Adams’s hat-trick as he arrived at the back post early in the second half to score his first senior international goal.
The Scots bounced back from a disappointing 3-1 home defeat to Iceland last Friday, in which Hirst made his first start and had a goal ruled out for offside.
The Sheffield-born striker was in from the off in both friendlies, where he took his total caps to four having switched allegiances from England in March.
Hirst’s Blues teammate Cieran Slicker had a more difficult week away with Scotland, however, despite the goalkeeper making his senior debut.
Slicker came on just seven minutes into the Iceland defeat at Hampden Park due to an injury to Angus Gunn and looked uncomfortable throughout.
Manager Steve Clarke admitted afterwards: “He got thrown into a situation where perhaps he wasn't quite ready for it.”
Slicker, who is yet to play a senior league match at club level, was an unused substitute in the victory over Liechtenstein.
Australia confirmed their place at a sixth consecutive FIFA World Cup with Cameron Burgess at the heart of their defence.
The Town defender, whose contract at Portman Road expires later this month, played every minute as the Socceroos qualified for next summer’s tournament with two victories to round off their qualification group.
Tony Popovic’s side scored a last-minute winner against Japan in Perth before coming from behind to beat closest challengers Saudi Arabia 2-1 in Jeddah on Tuesday.
Aberdeen-born Burgess has become a mainstay in the Australian backline and has now earned 17 full caps.
Town had two of their Republic of Ireland internationals involved as the Irish played two friendlies, both of which were drawn.
Jack Taylor was handed his first start for the Boys in Green during Friday’s 1-1 draw with Senegal in Dublin before featuring off the bench in Tuesday’s goalless encounter in Luxembourg.
The midfielder was one of two players to hit the woodwork as his late strike came back off the crossbar in what was his fifth international appearance.
Blues teammate Dara O’Shea started both games at the back for Heimir Hallgrimsson's side to move onto 35 appearances for his country.
Sammie Szmodics was initially named in the squad but withdrew with a sore ankle, the forward having only just returned from a three-month absence prior to joining the national team camp.
Town’s fourth Irish international Chiedozie Ogbene missed out again as he continues to recover from an Achilles injury sustained last October.
Ali Al-Hamadi made a disappointing return to the international scene as he was sent off in Iraq’s World Cup qualifying defeat to South Korea in Basra on Thursday.
The striker, who spent the second half of the season on loan at Stoke City, was making his first Iraq appearance since October but was dismissed just 25 minutes in for a high boot on Cho Yu-min with the game goalless.
Al-Hamadi earned his 15th cap but missed Tuesday’s victory in Jordan through suspension as Graham Arnold’s side finished third in their group and progress into the next stage of qualifying.
Town forward Nathan Broadhead was left unused at Wales began their World Cup qualifying campaign with a 3-0 home victory over Liechtenstein and a thrilling 4-3 defeat to Belgium in Brussels.
Broadhead, who has won 14 caps and scored twice, did not feature from the bench in either match while Blues teammate Wes Burns was absent again due to his long-term knee injury.
Axel Tuanzebe was denied the opportunity to add to his three caps for DR Congo through injury having pulled out of the squad midway through the camp.
Having not been named in the squad for the friendly against Mali, the out-of-contract defender withdrew from the Leopards’ training camp in the French city of Orléans.
Omari Hutchinson is with the England U21s squad ahead of the European Championships that begin in Slovakia this week.
The Young Lions will aim to defend their title from two years ago and have been placed in a group alongside Czechia, Slovenia and Germany.
Hutchinson is the only Blues player involved after Jaden Philogene’s knee injury sustained in April ruled him out of the competition.
Former striker Liam Delap is also absent with new club Chelsea expected to take him to the FIFA Club World Cup in the United States instead.
Having undergone shoulder surgery in the closing stages of the season, goalkeeper Aro Muric was not involved for Kosovo during their latest two fixtures.
Departing Town loanee Julio Enciso helped Paraguay edge closer to a first World Cup since 2010 during the penultimate round of South American qualifiers.
That included Thursday’s crucial 2-0 victory against Uruguay in which Enciso scored his fourth international goal from the penalty spot, but Paraguay then fell to a 1-0 defeat to Brazil in São Paulo overnight on Tuesday.
Having started both matches, the 21-year-old has now been capped 27 times by his country.
Ash Boatswain was among a number of Town’s academy squad to earn honours for their countries over the last few weeks.
The striker took his Montserrat caps to eight following his involvement from the start as the Caribbean nation’s World Cup qualification campaign came to an end.
Boatswain had a goal ruled out for offside during the 1-0 victory over Belize before suffering a 3-0 defeat away in Guyana on Tuesday.
Josh Pitts earned his first two caps for Malta U21s as they won two friendlies away against San Marino.
The young forward, who trained with the senior Maltese side for a fortnight before dropping into the U21s, started in both games.
Goalkeeper Henry Gray added to his caps for New Zealand U20s during a 2-1 friendly defeat to Chile in Santiago.
Gray, who most recently was on loan at Braintree Town, was part of a squad preparing for the U20 World Cup taking place later this year.
Defender Jacob Mazionis was involved with Lithuania U21s during the last week, while Blues duo Sid Eldred and Darragh McCann were both at another training camp put on by Northern Ireland U18s.
There was also some international recognition for two of Town Women’s promotion winning squad.
Natasha Thomas made her first start for Jamaica as they fell to a 4-0 friendly defeat to number one ranked United States in St Louis.
The Blues’ all-time record goalscorer was earning her second full cap for the Reggae Girlz, for whom she qualifies via her grandparents.
Defender Megan Wearing was drafted into the Scotland U23s squad for their second friendly against Iceland, having earned her first call-up at that level in March.
The young Scots won 2-1 in Falkirk, but Wearing was withdrawn in only the fourth minute through injury after colliding heavily with a teammate.
Photo: Ger Harley/Sportpix/Sipa USA
Please report offensive, libellous or inappropriate posts by using the links provided.
You need to login in order to post your comments