Blues youngster Monty Patterson could win his 14th full New Zealand cap when they take on the Solomon Islands in the first leg of their World Cup qualifier in Auckland on Friday morning (KO 8.35am UK time).

The return leg will be played in Honiara in the early hours of Tuesday morning, the two teams having topped their groups in third stage of qualifying from the Oceania Football Confederation for next summer’s tournament in Russia.

The winners of the tie will take on the team which finishes fifth in the South American qualification group in an inter-confederation play-off in November for a place at the finals.

Striker or midfielder Patterson, 20, who has scored one international goal, made his senior debut for the Blues as a sub in last week’s 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.

Meanwhile, midfielder Conor McKendry, 18, has been left out of the Northern Ireland U21s matchday 18 for their European Championships qualifier against Albania in Lurgan this evening.

McKendry, who was named in an U21s squad for the first time, will hope to make his debut when the Northern Irish youngsters face Slovakia away in Senica on Tuesday.

All Whites: Kosta Barbarouses (Melbourne Victory), Myer Bevan (Vancouver Whitecaps), Michael Boxall (Minnesota United), Kip Colvey (San Jose Earthquakes), Tom Doyle (Wellington Phoenix), Andrew Durante (Wellington Phoenix), Stefan Marinovic (Vancouver Whitecaps), Michael McGlinchey (Wellington Phoenix), Glen Moss (Newcastle Jets), Monty Patterson (Ipswich Town), Storm Roux (Central Coast Mariners), Oliver Sail (Wellington Phoenix), Ryan Thomas (PEC Zwolle), Themi Tzimopoulos (PAS Giannina), Chris Wood (Leeds United) (c), Deklan Wynne (Vancouver Whitecaps), Alex Rufer (Wellington Phoenix), James Musa (Sporting Kansas City), Sam Brotherton (Sunderland).

Photo: TWTD

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