Wanganui's James Musa saw his Olympic hopes come a step closer when he was named in the New Zealand's U-23 soccer squad yesterday.
Still only 19, the tall central defender is in coach Neil Emblen's team, who head to Australia this weekend for two warm-up matches against the Saudi Arabia national team.
Musa, who plays for Team Wellington in the ASB Premiership, has been part of all Emblen's Olympic training camps but will face an acid test against the Saudis in Melbourne.
The U-23 team, known as "The Oly Whites", can qualify for this year's London Olympics by winning the Oceania qualification tournament held in Taupo from March 16-25.
But first they face a Saudi team coached by Dutch legend Frank Rijkaard on Monday at Lakeside Stadium.
Three days later, as a New Zealand A side bolstered by four members of Ricki Herbert's All Whites squad, they tackle the same opponents in Melbourne to prepare for a World Cup qualifier against Australia on February 29.
Senior players Ivan Vicelich, Aaron Clapham, David Mulligan and Cole Peverley will come in for the second Saudi game.
"Those guys will be back in the Fifa window when the All Whites play Jamaica, and having any of them for the qualifiers remains an outside chance at best due to club commitments," said Emblen.
"We need to learn how to play without them and games like this will certainly expose our local players to a level of football they haven't experienced before. It will be invaluable.
"We're playing a team who missed out on automatic qualification for the World Cup in South Africa by goal difference ..."
Goalkeepers: Scott Basalaj (Team Wellington, TM), Rhyss Keane (Green Gully, Australia). Defenders: Michael Eager (TM), Michael Kramer (Waikato FC, WFC), James Musa (TM), Tim Myers (Waitakere United, WU), Tristan Prattley (Otago United). Midfielders: Alex Fenderidis (Auckland City, AC), Jason Hicks (WFC), Cameron Lindsay (Wellington Phoenix), Adam McGeorge (AC), Daniel Saric (unattached), Adam Thomas (WFC). Forwards: Louis Fenton (TM), Ethan Galbraith (TM), Sean Lovemore (WU), Dakota Lucas (TM).
Overage players: Aaron Clapham (Canterbury United, CU), David Mulligan (AC), Cole Peverley (CU), Ivan Vicelich (AC)