Blues youngster Monty Patterson is expected to win his 15th full cap when New Zealand face the Solomon Islands in the second leg of their World Cup qualifier in Honiara in the early hours of tomorrow morning looking to seal their place in an inter-confederation play-off.
The All Whites are 6-1 ahead from Friday’s first leg in which Patterson, 20, played the first 64 minutes and claimed an assist and ex-Blues loanee Chris Wood, who isn’t involved tomorrow, netted a hat-trick.
The teams previously topped their groups in third stage of World Cup qualifying from the Oceania Football Confederation with the winners of the tie facing the side which finishes fifth in South American qualification in a play-off in November for a place at the finals in Russia next summer.
Strong performance from the team yesterday 💪🼠happy to help chip in with an assist as well. #AllWhites pic.twitter.com/ZgqZDwbyHx– Monty Patterson (@PattersonMonty) September 1, 2017
Striker or midfielder Patterson, who has scored one international goal, made his senior debut for the Blues as a sub in the Carabao Cup defeat at Crystal Palace.
Town defender Tommy Smith was initially named in the All Whites squad but pulled out due to the hamstring injury which is currently keeping him out of action.