Liberato Cacace to miss Soccer Ashes. Photo: Wrexham AFC / supplied
The All Whites have lost two players ahead of this month's games against Australia with young replacements called up to fill the void.
Wrexham AFC defender Liberato Cacace is managing his return to play after a hamstring injury and will not join the All Whites for Friday's game in Canberra and the second game in Auckland on 9 September.
Goalkeeper Alex Paulsen who was also initially named in the squad will remain with his new club Lechia Gdańsk to settle into the side following his late move on loan from AFC Bournemouth.
Coach Darren Bazeley has made two youthful additions to face the Socceroos with Wellington Phoenix's 17-year-old attacker Luke Brooke-Smith and Ipswich Town's 20-year-old goalkeeper Henry Gray called up.
Bazeley has opted to give both players the opportunity ahead of the FIFA U-20 World Cup kicking off later this month in Chile:
"Henry and Luke are players we very much see as future All Whites so when it came to looking to name replacements for Libby and Alex, we saw it as a great opportunity for them both, especially with them being part of the FIFA U-20 World Cup.
"Both have earned this opportunity with really strong performances with their clubs, and while both are young, I have no reservations about them having something to offer at this level.
"Henry has been in squads with us previously but this will be the first time for Luke so I look forward to welcoming him to the All Whites and giving him the opportunity to show what he can do."
The winner of the two-match Soccer Ashes will be decided by the aggregate score across both matches, with the second leg going directly to penalties at the end of 90 minutes in the event of a tie.
Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
