Reid debuted off the bench in Monday's international with Australia in Melbourne, and is one of four changes made by coach Ricki Herbert.

Reid has more than 100 appearances for his Danish club FC Midtjylland.

He and 20-year-old Tommy Smith, another change, will be alongside captain Ryan Nelsen as Herbert continues his mission to determine the best possible side to play the World Cup opener against Slovakia on June 15.

"Serbia could be one of the hardest games we have, including the World Cup," Herbert said.

"It'll be a tough one to back up on after a lot of energy went into the Australia game, all the travelling and settling in, but it's the level of competition that we've asked for and we've freshened the team a bit with some players."

The other changes see teenage striker Chris Wood replacing Chris Killen who has returned to Britain to be married, and Jeremy Christie who replaces injured vice-captain Tim Brown in midfield.

"Woodsy was always going to get an opportunity. I've been extremely pleased with what he's done off the bench in the time that he's had. It'll be a tough game for him to play in but a really benchmark for where he's at," Herbert said.

Michael McGlinchey was an option to replace Brown, but he suffered a tight hamstring and wasn't risked.

Before New Zealand's game, its staff will have a chance to look at Group F opponent Slovakia which is playing Cameroon in the first half of a double header at New Zealand's venue.

Austria has become something of a pre-World Cup nerve centre as nine finalists, including England, Spain and the Netherlands are holding training camps in the country with another three flying in to play games there.

The match kicks off at 3.15am NZT and is live on Sky Sport 1.

The team is: 1.Mark Paston, 3.Tony Lochhead, 4.Winston Reid, 6.Ryan Nelsen (captain), 7.Simon Elliott, 9.Shane Smeltz, 11.Leo Bertos, 14.Rory Fallon, 19.Tommy Smith, 20.Chris Wood, 21.Jeremy Christie.

Substitutes: 2.Ben Sigmund, 5.Ivan Vicelich, 12.Glen Ross, 13.Andy Barron, 15.Michael McGlinchey, 16.Aaron Clapham, 17.David Mulligan, 18.Andrew Boyens, 22.Jeremy Brockie, 23.James Bannatyne, Cole Peverley.