Academy scholar Monty Patterson and New Zealand’s U20s face Ukraine in the opening game of the FIFA U20 World Cup at the North Harbour Stadium in Auckland on Saturday.
Coach Darren Bazeley says the hosts can’t wait for the competition to get under way: "It’s been over two years waiting for this tournament and it starts tomorrow.
"We’re very excited and the players have worked really hard to get ready for this first game.”
New Zealand face the USA in their second group match on Tuesday, also in Auckland, and finally Myanmar in Wellington next Friday.
Meanwhile, Town trio Adam McDonnell, Cemal Ramadan and Shane McLoughlin are set to join up with the Irish U18s for a training camp tomorrow ahead of next week’s friendlies in Luxembourg.
New Zealand U20s: Damian Hirst — Wanderers SC, Oliver Sail — Wellington Phoenix, Nik Tzanev — Brentford, Sam Brotherton — Wanderers SC, Cory Brown — Xavier University, Jesse Edge — Vicenza, Brock Messenger — Wanderers SC, Adam Mitchell — Wanderers SC, Deklan Wynne — Wanderers SC, Andre de Jong — Wanderers SC, Moses Dyer — Wanderers SC, Te Atawhai Hudson-Wihongi — Wanderers SC, Clayton Lewis — Wanderers SC, Matthew Ridenton — Wellington Phoenix, Bill Tuiloma (c) — Olympique Marseille, Noah Billingsley — Wanderers SC, Andrew Blake — Wellington Phoenix, Stuart Holthusen — Akron University, Monty Patterson — Ipswich Town, Alex Rufer — Wellington Phoenix, Joel Stevens — Wellington Phoenix.