Soccer: Injury blow for All White

Tony Lochhead in action against Paraguay at the World Cup. Photo / Brett Phibbs

A groin injury will keep All Whites defender Tony Lochhead out of the October friendlies against Honduras and Paraguay.

Lochhead will see a specialist on Thursday about a torn left adductor, which may require surgery and could keep the Wellington Phoenix fullback out of action for between eight to 16 weeks, ruling him out of New Zealand's matches on October 9 in Auckland and three days later in Wellington.

The injury is not a recurrence of the groin injury Lochhead had surgery on prior to the FIFA World Cup, but was still frustrating for the 37-cap defender who played every minute of the All Whites' unbeaten campaign in South Africa.

"It's always tough sitting on the sidelines but the important thing is to get myself right," said Lochhead.

"Playing for New Zealand is always special and these games have a little bit extra about them playing at home so close to the World Cup."

"We haven't had two teams of this calibre here for quite some time so it's frustrating to miss these two big fixtures."

Lochhead is the second World Cup All White to be ruled out of the home matches through injury with Rory Fallon recuperating from a hernia operation. Ricki Herbert will not call up a replacement for Lochhead, and instead the squad will remain at 20 players.

Yesterday, Herbert named the rest of his World Cup squad - minus the retired Andy Barron and James Bannatyne - for the matches against the fellow FIFA World Cup finalists.

- NZ Herald Online