Ricki Herbert's All Whites soccer team have been given a taste of what to expect at Charlton Athletic on Sunday (NZ time) after watching the premiership club's reserves in action today.
The majority of Herbert's squad saw Welling United, a Nationwide Conference South club, upset the visiting Charlton reserves 1-0
courtesy of a own goal early in the second half.
Herbert drew little from the fixture given the predictable absence of the first team stars New Zealand are expected to face at The Valley on Sunday at 2am (NZT).
But he garnered enough information to know New Zealand's tour opener will be tough.
"I think it'll be huge for our players from what we've seen," Herbert said.
"We're going to be playing a team that's just come off facing Spanish giants Valencia."
Charlton lost that fixture 1-3 and are expected to field a near full-strength lineup against New Zealand.
Herbert is due to name his starting 11 early on Saturday.
Only captain Danny Hay, who sat out yesterday's opening training session with a calf injury, is in doubt.
Midfielder Ivan Vicelich and Team Wellington goalkeeper James Bannatyne will join the team in the next couple of days.
Vicelich is a certainty to play if fit as the Charlton fixture is the only match he can play on tour before returning to his new Dutch first division club RKC Waalwijk.
Herbert was pleased with New Zealand's first run at Corinthians FC on the outskirts of London after putting his 16 fit players through intense ball retention exercises before playing a small-sided game.
"We've had more players make the long haul from New Zealand this time but something we've seen regularly is players responding quickly and today was no exception," Herbert said.
"It was good, very pleasing. Everyone did well."
- NZPA
