15 May 2015

New Zealand team named for under-20 World Cup

10:56 am on 15 May 2015

The New Zealand coach Darren Bazeley has announced his 21-man squad for the under 20 football World Cup. New Zealand is hosting the tournament, which starts at the end of May.

Captained by Olympique Marseille and All Whites midfielder Bill Tuiloma, the squad includes 10 players who have been part of the senior New Zealand team in recent months, including six players who have turned out for their country at the highest level.

Bill Tuiloma

Bill Tuiloma Photo: PHOTOSPORT

Six of the 21 are based overseas with Tuiloma joined off shore by Jesse Edge with Italian club Vicenza Calcio, forward Monty Patterson (Ipswich Town FC) goalkeeper Nik Tsanev (Brentford FC) and United States-based Cory Brown (Xavier University) and Stuart Holthusen (Akron University),

"We've been looking at this squad for the last two years and we've had contact with over 100 players over the course of the two years," Bazeley said.

"Our goal is to make history. No under-20 men's team has ever won a game at a World Cup so our aim is to be the first team to do that; to win games and qualify out of our group and to play in a way that makes the country proud to watch us."

Goalkeepers:

Damian Hirst - Wanderers SC, NZL

Oliver Sail - Wellington Phoenix, NZL

Nik Tzanev - Brentford FC, ENG

Defenders:

Sam Brotherton - Wanderers SC, NZL

Cory Brown - Xavier University USA

Jesse Edge - Vicenza Calcio, ITA

Brock Messenger - Wanderers SC, NZL

Adam Mitchell - Wanderers SC, NZL

Deklan Wynne - Wanderers SC, NZL

Midfielders:

Andre de Jong - Wanderers SC, NZL

Moses Dyer - Wanderers SC, NZL

Te Atawhai Hudson-Wihongi - Wanderers SC, NZL

Clayton Lewis - Wanderers SC, NZL

Matthew Ridenton - Wellington Phoenix, NZL

Bill Tuiloma (capt) - Olympique Marseille, FRA

Forwards:

Noah Billingsley - Wanderers SC, NZL

Andrew Blake - Wellington Phoenix, NZL

Stuart Holthusen - Akron University, USA

Monty Patterson - Ipswich Town FC, ENG

Alex Rufer - Wellington Phoenix, NZL

Joel Stevens - Wellington Phoenix, NZL

Management staff:

Head coach: Darren Bazeley

Assistant coach: Neil Emblen

Goalkeeper coach: Paul Gothard

Manager: Rod Grove

Group A match schedule:

New Zealand v Ukraine, North Harbour Stadium, Saturday 30 May, 1pm

New Zealand v USA, North Harbour Stadium, Tuesday 2 June, 7pm

New Zealand v Myanmar, Wellington Regional Stadium, Friday 5 June, 7pm