FILE PHOTO: Soccer Football - International Friendly - Republic of Ireland v New Zealand - Aviva Stadium, Dublin, Ireland - November 21, 2023 New Zealand coach Darren Bazeley REUTERS/Clodagh Kilcoyne/File Photo
(Reuters) - Uncapped winger Liam Gillion's strong start for Auckland FC in the A-League has been rewarded with a spot in New Zealand's squad for 2026 World Cup qualifiers against Vanuatu and Samoa.
Gillion is the only uncapped player in Darren Bazeley's 24-man squad named on Wednesday while Auckland teammate Francis de Vries returns after a 17-month absence.
Gillion, 22, joined Auckland on a scholarship deal earlier in the year and has performed well in the A-League newcomers' undefeated start to the season after making New Zealand's under-23 squad for the Paris Olympics.
"Most of my phone calls are challenging conversations, where I'm giving bad news, but that was a really good one, where I'm telling somebody that they're going to get called up for the first time," Bazeley told New Zealand media on Wednesday.
"He was really excited, and he can't wait. I think it's a good reward for him for starting the season so positively, every time he's got the ball in the league.
"Potentially there are a lot of other players for him to get past in his position, so it's a really good opportunity for us to have a closer look at him."
The All Whites beat Tahiti 3-0 in their Group B opener and are second behind leaders Vanuatu, who beat Samoa 4-1.
New Zealand host Vanuatu in Hamilton on Nov. 15 before their final group match against Samoa in Auckland three days later.
The top two from each of the two groups progress to the third stage of qualifying in New Zealand next March, a four-team knockout tournament to decide which nation bags the automatic spot for the World Cup finals in the U.S., Canada and Mexico.
New Zealand are dominant in the Oceania region but have missed out on qualifying for the last three World Cups after losing tough intercontinental qualifiers.
However, Oceania has a guaranteed spot in the expanded, 48-team showpiece in 2026, giving a huge boost to the All Whites' hopes of qualifying for the first time since the South Africa finals in 2010.
(Reporting by Ian Ransom in Melbourne; Editing by Peter Rutherford)
