REPORT | Ireland 1-1 New Zealand - Draw at Aviva
Adam Idah opened the scoring for Ireland with a well-taken goal in the first half but that was cancelled out by Matt Garbett’s second-half goal for the visitors.
Stephen Kenny handed a first start to Ireland to Mark Sykes and a final appearance for James McClean as he concluded his international career with 103 caps. He also handed starts in the game to Kelleher, Idah, Omobamidele, Molumby, McGrath, Duffy & Johnston. Andrew Moran would make his senior debut coming on in the second half.
Ireland had the first sight of goal in the opening minutes of the contest with Mikey Johnston breaking into the New Zealand area following a run from midfield, his shot was blocked down and cleared by Boxall.
Jamie McGrath then had a header towards goal blocked down from a James McClean corner. Jason Knight was to force a save from Crocombe as Johnston once again broke into the New Zealand area with his cross to the back post headed goalwards by Knight but it was saved on the line.
New Zealand had a chance to level the tie with Stamenic having an effort from outside the area take a deflection off his teammate Wood that forced the ball wide of Kelleher’s goal. Ireland opened the scoring as Mark Sykes and Pijnaker contested for the ball which Sykes won and laid the ball to Adam Idah who found himself one-on-one with Crocombe and he put the ball beyond his reach to finish.
The goal was followed by a high curling effort from New Zealand's Singh on the edge of the Irish area that was excellently saved by Kelleher at his back post. The last opportunities of the first half fell to Omobamidele who headed wide from a Johnston free kick with Singh striking the side netting from a shot just inside the Irish area.
The first chance of the second half fell to the visitors with Singh’s cross meeting the unmarked Garbett but he blazed his effort over the bar. That was followed by an Ireland chance as Jayson Molumby’s effort from the edge of the area just went wide of the post. Shane Duffy almost added a second with a powerful header from a James McClean corner that forced a save from Crocombe and that was quickly followed by a Josh Cullen volley that was gathered on the second attempt.
New Zealand drew level with Garbett latching onto a secondary ball and striking a low curling effort that beat Travers at his near post. Singh forced an excellent save from Travers moments later when a clever pass from McCowatt to Singh saw his curling effort to the back post see Travers palm the ball away for a corner.
Matt Doherty almost put Ireland ahead as he got free of his marker in the area only for his effort to flash wide. Travers was forced into two excellent saves one from range from Cacace with the follow-up save from Pijnaker to be ruled out for offside.
Travers would be called into action once more making a clever low save to deny Max Mata. Evan Ferguson had a great opportunity to put Ireland back in the lead with a curling effort from the edge of the area that was well saved with Sykes unable to convert with the follow-up.
This game concluded the Republic of Ireland’s season for 2023 and their next competitive fixtures will be in 2024 in the UEFA Nations League.
Republic of Ireland: Kelleher (GK) (Travers 46), Doherty (Browne 73), Duffy ©, Idah (Ferguson 65), McClean (Manning 66), Omobamidele, Sykes, Molumby, Knight (Cullen 54), McGrath, Johnston (Moran 78).
Subs not used: Bazunu (GK), Travers (GK), O’Shea, Robinson, Scales, Parrott.
New Zealand: Crocombe (GK), Payne (Bidon 88), Pijnaker, Boxall, Bell, Garbett (Lewis 81), Stamenic, Wood © (Mata 60), Singh, Cacace, McCowatt (Just 77).
Subs not used: Woud (GK), Wilkins, Just, Champness, Smith, Surman, Greive, Waine, Mata, Paulsen (GK).
Player of the Match: Mikey Johnston
Referee: Urs Schnyder SUI
Attendance: 26,517