New Zealand : New Zealand national football team coach Darren Bazeley has been handed a boost ahead of the World Cup, with several key players nearing a return from injury.
Defenders Liberato Cacace and Michael Boxall are both expected to be available soon after recovering from hamstring and adductor issues respectively.
Cacace, who has been sidelined since February, has returned to full training, while Boxall is also close to match fitness after being carefully managed by his club.
“If this was the World Cup now, he would be available for selection,” Bazeley said of Boxall.
The coach also welcomed the return of captain Chris Wood, the country’s all-time leading scorer, who has resumed action for Nottingham Forest.
Further encouraging signs come from Sarpreet Singh, who is close to returning from a knee injury, while defenders Francis de Vries and Nando Pijnaker are expected to feature in their club’s finals campaign.
Veteran winger Kosta Barbarouses is also likely to recover in time after a recent calf problem.
New Zealand, returning to the World Cup for the first time since 2010, begin their campaign against Iran national football team on June 15 in Los Angeles before facing Egypt national football team and Belgium national football team in Group G.
Bazeley admitted the build-up remains tense as players continue club duties.
“It’s a worrying time every time players are playing now,” he said. “We’ll be living like that until the World Cup.”
