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 Herbat'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 he suffered during Celtic's 1-0 Scottish premier league win over Hibernian last Sunday.
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.
"Both he and (West Bromwich Albion striker) Chris Wood will get some extended time on the pitch now," Herbert said.
The match in Amman is New Zealand's final hit out before the World Cup qualifiers on October 10 and November 14.
"This match is very important - it's certainly a dress rehearsal for the opening qualifier on October 10.
"It still will have a small degree of trying things given the late but very exciting inclusions of Michael McGlinchey and Rory.
"But it's more about bedding everything down now, and making sure we are making the right decisions going into the away leg."
Bahrain and Saudi Arabia square off in Manama on Sunday 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 in South Africa.
- NZPA
