Soccer: NZ name strong under-20 squad

Auckland City player Adam Thomas. Photo / Dean Purcell

New Zealand under-20 men's soccer coach Chris Milicich has named an impressive 20-man squad for next month's Oceania championship at Auckland but described it as a necessity rather than luxury.

Among the squad drawn from leagues in eight different countries, Milicich has selected two players - Birmingham City's Luke Rowe and Melbourne Victory's Marco Rojas - also included in the wider national senior squad, with Rojas making his international debut against China last week.

A total of eight players have been drawn from professional clubs including Italy-based right back Luke Graham, Germany-based goalkeeper Stefan Marinovich and Wellington Phoenix defender James Musa, while another two players have been selected from United States universities.

Established All Whites striker Chris Wood will stay with Brighton as the table-topping League One club, where the striker is on loan, chase promotion to the English Championship.

New Zealand have been drawn with the Solomon Islands and New Caledonia in group B of the seven-nation tournament, with winner of the April 29 final qualifying for the under-20 World Cup at Colombia in July and August.

New Zealand did not qualify for the 2009 World Cup as hosts Tahiti won the 2008 Oceania championship.

Squad
Goalkeepers: Stefan Marinovich (SV Wehen Wiesbaden, Germany), James McPeake (Fairleigh Dickinson University, USA).

Defenders: Nick Branch (Waikato FC), Liam Graham (Vicenza Calcio, Italy), Anthony Hobbs (Waitakere United), James Musa (Wellington Phoenix), Luke Rowe (Birmingham City, England), Neko Vujevich (Gold Coast United, Australia).

Midfielders: Cory Chettleburg (Sparta Rotterdam, Netherlands), Ryan De Vries (Waitakere United), Jamie Doris (Hibernian, Scotland), Colin Murphy (Boston College, USA), Marco Rojas (Melbourne Victory, Australia), Zane Sole (Waitakere United), Adam Thomas (Auckland City).

Forwards: Andy Bevin (Hawke's Bay United), Ryan Cain (Team Wellington), Ethan Galbraith (Lower Hutt City), Dakota Lucas (Waitakere United), Andrew Milne (Auckland City).

Standby: Cameron Lindsay (Blackburn Rovers, England), Dale Higham (Manawatu), Caleb Rufer (Unattached).

- NZPA