Olympics-West Ham's Reid confirmed to play for NZ at Tokyo Games

(Reuters) - West Ham United defender Winston Reid will play for New Zealand at this month's Tokyo Olympics, NZ coach Danny Hay confirmed on Friday.

Reid had been named last week alongside Chris Wood and Michael Boxall as the three overage players in Hay's Under-24 squad, but the 32-year-old was bracketed with Tim Payne pending his availability.

"It is great to now be able to confirm Winston is coming to Japan with us," Hay said in a New Zealand Football statement https://www.nzfootball.co.nz/newsarticle/105303?newsfeedId=1275622.

"In addition to him obviously being a brilliant player, he brings a wealth of experience to the side, and his leadership will prove invaluable at the Games."

New Zealand will face South Korea in their opening match on July 22 in Group B, which also includes Honduras and Romania.

The Tokyo Games were delayed last year because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

(Reporting by Manasi Pathak in Bengaluru; Editing by Peter Rutherford)