Pieters one of four players back for Dutch

AMSTERDAM (Reuters) - Stoke City defender Erik Pieters is among four players who missed out on the World Cup that were called up in a provisional 25-man squad for the Netherlands' two internationals next month, the Dutch football association KNVB said on Wednesday.

Pieters, Rafael van der Vaart, Gregory van der Wiel and goalkeeper Jeroen Zoet were all named in the first squad for new coach Guus Hiddink, who has taken over from Louis van Gaal.

Hiddink would reduce the squad at the end of next week before the friendly against Italy in Bari on Sept. 5 and the Euro 2016 qualifier against the Czech Republic in Prague four days later, the KNVB added.

Jonathan De Guzman and Terence Kongolo are dropped from the 23-man party that went to the World Cup in Brazil, where the Dutch finished third.

Earlier this month, Hiddink promised that he would not tinker with the core of the side Van Gaal had selected over the past two years.

Squad: Goalkeepers: Jasper Cillessen (Ajax Amsterdam), Tim Krul (Newcastle United), Michel Vorm (Tottenham Hotspur), Jeroen Zoet (PSV Eindhoven)

Defenders: Daley Blind (Ajax Amsterdam), Stefan de Vrij (Lazio), Daryl Janmaat (Newcastle United), Bruno Martins Indi (FC Porto), Erik Pieters (Stoke City), Gregory van der Wiel (Paris St Germain), Paul Verhaegh (FC Augsburg), Ron Vlaar (Aston Villa), Joel Veltman (Ajax Amsterdam)

Midfielders: Jordy Clasie (Feyenoord Rotterdam), Nigel de Jong (AC Milan), Leroy Fer (Queens Park Rangers), Arjen Robben (Bayern Munich), Wesley Sneijder (Galatasaray), Rafael van der Vaart (Hamburg SV), Georginio Wijnaldum (PSV Eindhoven)

Forwards: Memphis Depay (PSV Eindhoven), Klaas-Jan Huntelaar (Schalke 04), Dirk Kuyt (Fenerbahce), Jeremain Lens (Dynamo Kiev), Robin van Persie (Manchester United)

(Reporting by Mark Gleeson; Editing by John O'Brien)