Soccer: Dutch striker straight into game time

An 18-man squad will be named for next year's Oceania Olympic qualifiers in Fiji following a training camp in Taupo. Photo / Getty Images

Former Dutch under-23 striker Maceo Rigters will have little time to focus on his bid to cement a place in the Wellington Phoenix squad for the upcoming A-League season.

The former Blackburn Rovers player arrived in Wellington yesterday and later flew to Dunedin where he will have some game time tonight against A-League champions Brisbane Roar in a pre-season game.

Although coach Ricki Herbert was reluctant to confirm Rigters' involvement, the player's agent, Sydney-based James Hardy confirmed the deal where the 27-year-old will spend 10 days with the Phoenix.

"Maceo was in Aberdeen on trial last week," said Hardy. "Nothing has come of that so he is now raring to go and prove his worth with the Phoenix. We hope to come to an agreement by the September 1 UK transfer deadline."

Rigters played on loan at Dutch first division club Willem 11 last season. In 28 appearances he scored five goals but could not prevent the club being relegated at the end of the season.

* New Zealand's Olympic campaign is about to gain some much-needed momentum.

A training camp and a trial match involving 32 of the country's best New Zealand-based under-23 Olympic-eligible players in Taupo from August 29 will be the first steps in what promises to be a gruelling test for the team hoping to win Oceania's spot at the London Olympics.

The camp will culminate in a trial match on September 3.

With Ricki Herbert taking an all-encompassing role, New Zealand under-20 coach Chris Milicich, recent All Whites assistant Neil Emblen and former All Whites captain and now youth coach at Auckland City Chris Zoricich, former All White Michael McGarry and All Whites technical adviser Raul Blanco will have the chance to press their claims.

An 18-man squad, including some All Whites who will not be in Taupo, will then be named for next year's Oceania Olympic qualifiers in Fiji.

* All Whites striker Chris Wood went close to giving Birmingham City a winning start to their Europa League campaign in Portugal.

Wood, 19, playing at Championship club City on a one-month loan from his EPL club West Brom, hit the woodwork twice in the eventual 0-0 draw with Portuguese club Nacional in their play-off match.

Wood joins current or former All Whites including Ryan Nelsen, Wynton Rufer, Danny Hay, Winston Reid, Chris Killen and Chris James in playing in European competitions.

Birmingham qualified for the League after winning last season's Carling Cup and were playing in Europe for the first time in almost 50 years.

They will have home advantage for the second leg of the tie as they seek to gain a place alongside other English clubs Tottenham Hotspur in the League proper.

* The four best teams in the country have won through to this weekend's ASB Women's Knockout Cup semifinals with a feast of goals on offer.

Two northern teams, Eastern Suburbs and Glenfield Rovers, will meet in one semifinal at Madills Farm tomorrow and leading central and southern teams Waterside Karori and Coast Spirit will clash today in Christchurch.