Chris Wood of Nottingham Forest applauds the fans Photo: PHOTOSPORT
All Whites coach Darren Bazeley would have been happy to see the return of skipper Chris Wood to action with international fixtures coming up later this month.
Wood made his first start for for English Premier League side Nottingham Forest this morning since suffering a hamstring injury in late January.
Wood has been named in Bazeley's squad for games against Egypt and Tunisia.
The 24-player squad sees recalls for Kosta Barbarouses, Dane Ingham, Ben Old, and Oli Sail, who weren't part of November's Greece and Republic of Ireland tour, as well as a debut call-up for Wellington Phoenix's 18-year-old defender Lukas Kelly-Heald who has enjoyed a breakthrough season in the A-League Men.
Bazeley's squad features eight players aged 23 or under (Tyler Bindon, Matthew Garbett, Lukas Kelly-Heald, Ben Old, Alex Paulsen, Marko Stamenic, Finn Surman and Ben Waine) who will be eligible to represent Aotearoa New Zealand at the Paris Olympics in July.
"For us as a team everything is focused on building towards qualifying for, and then competing at, the FIFA World Cup 2026, so this tournament is a perfect opportunity to play competitive games against highly ranked sides to see how we are tracking," Bazeley said.
"It is also exciting to be naming a squad with eight players aged 23 or under who are eligible for the Olympics in July, including Lukas Kelly-Heald for the first time who has had a great season with the Phoenix.
"Lukas is someone I have worked with regularly in age group sides and has earned his call-up to this level.
The All Whites will play Egypt on Saturday 23 March in Abu Dhabi with the winner then playing either Croatia or Tunisia and the loser playing the loser of the other opening game.
Lukas Kelly-Heald of the Phoenix Photo: PHOTOSPORT
The full squad is:
Goalkeepers:
Max Crocombe (4 Caps) Burton Albion FC, England
Alex Paulsen (0 Caps) Wellington Phoenix FC, Aotearoa New Zealand
Oli Sail (9 Caps) Perth Glory FC, Australia
Defenders:
Tyler Bindon (4 Caps) Reading FC, England
Michael Boxall (47 Caps) Minnesota United FC, USA
Liberato Cacace (20 Caps) Empoli FC, Italy
Dane Ingham (13 Caps) Newcastle Jets, Australia
Lukas Kelly-Heald* (0 Caps) Wellington Phoenix FC, Aotearoa New Zealand
Tim Payne (34 Caps) Wellington Phoenix FC, Aotearoa New Zealand
Nando Pijnaker (18 Caps) Sligo Rovers, Republic of Ireland
Tommy Smith (51 Caps) Macarthur FC, Australia
Finn Surman (1 Caps) Wellington Phoenix FC, Aotearoa New Zealand
Midfielders:
Joe Bell (18 Caps) Viking FK, Norway
Matthew Garbett (20 Caps) NAC Breda, Netherlands
Clayton Lewis (25 Caps) Macarthur FC, Australia
Callum McCowatt (17 Caps) Silkeborg IF, Denmark
Ben Old (2 Caps) Wellington Phoenix FC, Aotearoa New Zealand
Sarpreet Singh (12 Caps) FC Hansa Rostock, Germany
Marko Stamenic (19 Caps) FK Crvena zvezda, Serbia
Forwards:
Kosta Barbarouses (54 Caps) Wellington Phoenix FC, Aotearoa New Zealand
Elijah Just (20 Caps) AC Horsens, Denmark
Max Mata (9 Caps) Sligo Rovers, Republic of Ireland
Ben Waine (11 Caps) Plymouth Argyle FC, England
Chris Wood (74 Caps) Nottingham Forest, England