Teenager winger Manaia Elliott has been called into the Football Ferns after the withdrawal of 63-cap defender Meikayla Moore.
Glasgow City’s Moore has pulled out of the two-match series against Colombia due to injury.
As a result, Elliott (18) has become the sixth Wellington Phoenix player selected for the national squad.
She joins Michaela Foster, Kate Taylor, Mackenzie Barry, Brianna Edwards and fellow Phoenix academy graduate Macey Fraser in the Ferns squad which will travel to South America after Saturday’s match against Perth Glory at Go Media Stadium Mt Smart.
Elliott has featured in all five of the Phoenix women’s matches to start the 2023-24 Liberty A-League and scored her maiden goal in the team’s second-round win over Western Sydney Wanderers.
She captained New Zealand at last year’s FIFA U-17 World Cup and was a key part of the Junior Football Ferns squad that qualified for next year’s FIFA U-20 World Cup.
Midfielder Annalie Longo has made herself unavailable for the tour while she returns to full fitness with the Wellington Phoenix, having missed the start of the Liberty A-League season with injury.
Grace Wisnewski also travelled to South America with the New Zealand squad in September, but the Phoenix midfielder was not considered for selection after rupturing the anterior cruciate ligament in her left knee against Brisbane Roar.
New Zealand squad
The updated squad is:
Mackenzie Barry (7 caps) Wellington Phoenix, New Zealand
Hannah Blake (6 caps) Adelaide United, Australia
Katie Bowen (98 caps) Inter Milan, Italy
Daisy Cleverley (31 caps) HB Køge, Denmark
Ava Collins (11 caps) St John’s University, United States
Brianna Edwards (0 caps) Wellington Phoenix, New Zealand
Manaia Elliott (0 caps) Wellington Phoenix, New Zealand
Victoria Esson (20 caps) Rangers, Scotland
Michaela Foster (8 caps) Wellington Phoenix, New Zealand
Macey Fraser* (0 caps) Wellington Phoenix, New Zealand
Ally Green (5 caps) AGF, Denmark
Jacqui Hand (17 caps) Åland United, Finland
Betsy Hassett (150 caps) Stjarnan FC, Iceland
Grace Jale (21 caps) Perth Glory, Australia
Katie Kitching* (0 caps) Sunderland AFC, England
Anna Leat (11 caps) Aston Villa, England
Ruby Nathan* (0 caps) Canberra United, Australia
Grace Neville (6 caps) London City Lionesses, England
Ali Riley (159 caps) Angel City, United States
Indiah-Paige Riley (14 caps) PSV Vrouwen, Netherlands
Paige Satchell (46 caps) London City Lionesses, England
Malia Steinmetz (25 caps) FC Nordsjælland, Denmark
Rebekah Stott (95 caps) Melbourne City, Australia
Kate Taylor (10 caps) Wellington Phoenix, New Zealand
*Debut Ford Football Ferns call-up.
Fixtures
Game to be played on Sunday December 3, 2023 (NZT)
Colombia v New Zealand
Estadio El Campin, Bogotá, Colombia, 10am (NZT)
Game to be played on Wednesday December 6, 2023
Colombia v New Zealand
Estadio Metropolitano de Techo, Bogotá, Colombia, 9am (NZT)
Both games will be streamed live and free on FIFA+ in Aotearoa New Zealand.
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