International Friendly Preview: Northern Ireland -v- New Zealand

In preparation for their upcoming World Cup qualifier on June 10 away to Azerbaijan, Northern Ireland host New Zealand tonight at Windsor Park in Belfast. New Zealand are currently in Europe preparing for the 2017 FIFA Confederations Cup that takes place in Russia with their first game scheduled for 17 June where they take on the host nation.

NORTHERN IRELAND

Michael O’Neill welcomes a few new faces into his squad for this friendly clash as Northern Ireland gear up for a crucial World Cup qualifier in Baku against Azerbaijan on Saturday week. Victory against the Azeris, who Northern Ireland defeated 4-0 at Windsor Park last November, would put O’Neill’s charges in poll position to claim the playoff spot behind runaway group leaders and current World Cup holders Germany.

Tonight, O’Neill is focusing on the visit of New Zealand and will use this friendly game as an opportunity to give some recent additions to his squad an opportunity to impress ahead of next week’s encounter.

Accrington Stanley forward Shay McCartan was handed a first call-up while Southend's Adam Thompson and Burton Albion's Tom Flanagan make the 25-man squad. And players like Matthew Lund and Paul Paton also have an opportunity to catch O'Neill's eye.

"We don't have experienced players out there that we are overlooking," said the Northern Ireland boss at a press briefing earlier this week

"The choice is what it is and the likes of Shay McCartan coming in, Liam (Boyce), Paul Paton, Matthew Lund, these are the players who need to be ready to do a job for us.

"We have a team in mind we want to play but injuries are possible. I'm sure none of those players would let us down if they had to play.

McCartan gets his first call up to the senior squad and the Newry man who scored ten goals this season for Accrington has impressed O’Neill who says he brings "something extra" to the group.

"There's no getting away from the fact that we have players missing but we had four great days training in Manchester and young Shay and Adam Thompson did well," he added.

"In terms of the options it was right to bring in young Shay, he's had a very good second half of the season.

"He doesn't always play at Accrington, which is a bit of a surprise to me from what I know of him in the Under-21s and since he has been in with us. I think he is a young player that is attracting a bit of attention and hopefully the fact he is in the senior squad will add to that as well.

"He's an out and out goalscorer, he's sharp, goes in behind, a good finisher and the type of player who might not do a lot but scores a goal out of nothing."

In squad news, Conor Washington is getting married this weekend while Jamie Ward and Will Grigg are out injured, Paddy Macnair and Corry Evans are also expected to miss this game. The Northern Ireland manager also confirmed that neither Gareth Macauley nor fellow defender Craig Cathcart will play as a precaution over injury while Premier League regulars, Southampton’s Steven Davis and West Brom’s Chris Brunt will not play 90 minutes

NEW ZEALAND

New Zealand, lying 95^th in the FIFA rankings, arrive in Belfast for tonight’s friendly currently only two steps away from reaching the World Cup in Russia next summer. They face a two legged playoff against Oceania rivals Tahiti in September in the OFC final and should they negotiate this they will face the 5^th place CONMEBOL (South American qualifying) side to determine who will progress.

The All Whites had to overcome minnows Fiji and The Solomon Islands to secure the playoff berth against Tahiti.

However, recent friendlies where they drew 1-1 with the USA in Washington DC and a 2-1 reversal against Mexico give a more realistic measure of New Zealand’s current position in world football despite their lowly ranking and the standard of opposition that they had to encounter in World Cup qualifying.

New Zealand are managed by Anthony Hudson, The Englishman who previously had spells in charge of Newport County in 2011 and with the Bahrain national team until 2014 when he took up the role with the All Whites.

Under Hudson New Zealand jumped 66 places in the World Rankings from 154 to 88 in 2016. Lack of games against quality opposition is something that New Zealand have to deal with, having played only 3 games in 2015 Hudson will relish these games against Northern Ireland tonight and against Belarus in Minsk on June 12 before his squad head to Russia to compete in the 2017 FIFA Confederations Cup where they will face the host nation, Mexico and Portugal in Group A.

Chris Wood is probably the most familiar name in the current 23 man squad. The Auckland born striker who spent time at Leicester City before moving to Leeds United was top scorer in the English Championship last season with 27 goals. Wood is expected to captain the side in the absence of West Ham United defender Winston Reid who has been out injured since March.

Other European based players include Ryan Thomas who plays regularly with PEC Zwolle in the Dutch Eredvisie and Themistoklas Tzimopoulos who is ever present for Pas Giannina in the Greek Superleague.

Wellington Phoenix, the only professional club in New Zealand and  who finished 7^th in last season’s Australian A-League contribute 5 players to the squad, there are also three other English based players in the travelling party Monty Patterson at Braintree Town, Sam Brotherton who didn’t feature for Sunderland and Tommy Smyth at Ipswich Town

MATCH FACTS

This is the first time the sides have met.

New Zealand’s most famous result is arguably their 1-1 draw with Italy in the 2010 World Cup in South Africa

New Zealand will play a friendly against LOI First Division side Cabinteely in Stradbrook on June 6 before heading to Minsk to prepare for the game against Belarus

BETTING

Northern Ireland 4/7; Draw 14/5; New Zealand 5/1

PREDICTION

Northern Ireland 2 New Zealand 1

Northern Ireland

Injured: Jamie Ward, Will Grigg, Gareth Macauley, Craig Cathcart

Doubtful: Paddy McNair, Corry Evans

Unavailable: Conor Washington

Suspended: None

New Zealand

Injured: Winston Reid 

Doubtful: unknown

Suspended: None