Jason Hayne (left) and Chad Coombes before flying out last night. Photo / Richard Robinson
All Whites coach Ricki Herbert is hoping to give all of his squad game time against Mexico and said the result in Los Angeles on Thursday evening would be of secondary importance.
The New Zealand-based players and management left Auckland last night for what is a daunting mission against one
of the world's leading sides.
New Zealand will be without key defenders Ryan Nelsen and Ivan Vicelich, and this World Cup warm-up game also involves a mad dash to the United States.
Herbert has again guaranteed the 18 players in the squad against Bahrain a ticket to the World Cup finals in South Africa in June.
It means there are few spots left in the World Cup squad of 23. But he said even the Auckland City pair of Chad Coombes and Jason Hayne - who were called up only at the weekend - had real chances to push for places in the final lineup.
"Those two new boys bring a lot of energy and it's no secret that we need players with pace," he said.
"It is a massive step up for them but absolutely, they have a chance. Some people can make that step up while for others it is a bridge a bit too far."
Herbert said the build-up proper would begin when the All Whites played Australia on May 24.
"The way the Mexican game is scheduled is not ideal but you take every chance you can to play teams of this quality," he said.
Coombes had been watching cricket on Saturday at Rutherford High, where he is a relief teacher, when he got a call from his Auckland City coach Paul Posa to say he was in the All Whites squad.
"It was a huge shock - I thought the squad had been picked," he said. "I do believe I can push for a World Cup spot and I'm certainly going to give it a go."
All Whites Squad:
Glen Moss, James Bannatyne, Tony Lochhead, Steven Old, Andrew Boyens, Ben Sigmund, Tommy Smith, Andrew Barron, Leo Bertos, Tim Brown (c), Simon Elliott, Michael McGlinchey, Shane Smeltz, Chris Killen, Chris Wood, Rory Fallon, Chad Coombes, Jason Hayne.
