Blues defender Tommy Smith missed training on Tuesday and remains a doubt ahead of the second leg of New Zealand's World Cup qualification play-off against Peru in Lima in the early hours of Thursday morning.
Smith was forced off by a calf injury in the 67th minute of Saturday’s first match in Wellington which ended 0-0.
Ahead of the All Whites' flight to South America on Sunday - which ended up taking three hours longer than the anticipated 16 hours - Smith and manager Anthony Hudson were both bullish about the 27-year-old's chances of being fit enough to play in the second leg.
However, the centre-half hasn’t trained since arriving in Peru and again wasn’t involved in today’s session at the Estadio Nacional, where the match is being played. He will be rested on Wednesday and given a fitness test ahead of kick-off before a decision is made.
Game day âš½ï¸ enjoy, believe, dominate 💪🼠#AllWhites #Peru #PERNZL #WorldCup2018 pic.twitter.com/GpuVO7cyjm– Tommy Smith (@tommysmith1990) November 15, 2017
Macclesfield-born Smith, who has won 36 full caps, scoring two international goals, played in all three of New Zealand’s games the last time they reached the finals, in South Africa in 2010, and also represented the nation where he lived between the ages of eight and 16 at the 2012 Olympics.
Joining Smith in the All Whites squad in Peru is Blues youngster Monty Patterson who has won 15 full caps, scoring one international goal. The 20-year-old striker or midfielder is likely to be on the bench.
The squad, ready for battle 💪🼠#WorldCup2018 #Lima #Peru pic.twitter.com/vpN3pe9A3M– Tommy Smith (@tommysmith1990) November 14, 2017
New Zealand are big outsiders to win the tie and a place at next summer's finals in Russia with Peru, who last qualified for a World Cup back in 1982, currently 10th in FIFA’s rankings, while the All Whites are 122nd.