Chris Killen's withdrawal from the All Whites squad for Wednesday's friendly soccer international against Jordan in Amman is a blow to coach Ricki Herbert's plans for the Glasgow Celtic player to build a rapport with Shane Smeltz.
Killen will miss the game, an important building block ahead of the World
Cup qualifiers against either Bahrain or Saudi Arabia, because of a calf strain. A replacement for Killen will not be called up.
With five goals in six pre-season matches, Killen had been a certainty to start alongside Gold Coast United striker Smeltz in attack, but his absence now gives Herbert the chance to take a longer look at newly eligible Plymouth Argyle forward Rory Fallon and teenager Chris Wood.
"At some stage in the Jordan match, whether we start him or bring him off the bench, Rory will play a part so Killen's unavailability has opened up the door even more for him," Herbert said. "Both he and [West Bromwich Albion striker] Chris Wood will get some extended time on the pitch now."
The match in Amman is New Zealand's final hit-out before the World Cup qualifiers on October 10 and November 14.
Bahrain and Saudi Arabia square off in Manama tomorrow and in Riyadh on Thursday to decide who will make the playoff against Oceania champions, New Zealand, for a spot in next year's World Cup.
- NZPA
