Soccer: Fitzgerald and Boxall get chance to shine

Andy Boyens is one of the few from last year's team to be in the starting XI against Mexico. Photo / Mark Mitchell

There is little resemblance to the All Whites team coach Ricki Herbert is putting out for this afternoon's friendly against Mexico and the team who lost 2-0 in their last meeting a little over a year ago.

Of the team who started in Pasadena in March 2010 as the All Whites built towards the World Cup in South Africa, only goalkeeper Glen Moss, defender Andy Boyens, midfielder (and captain) Tim Brown, veteran midfielder Simon Elliott and striker Shane Smeltz are in today's starting XI.

Herbert has rewarded young defenders Michael Boxall and Michael Fitzgerald, who made their debuts as substitutes in the game against China in March, with a place.

The youngsters will play virtual wing-back roles with Fitzgerald on the left and Boxall on the right outside a defensive trio led by New Zealand's most experienced international Ivan Vicelich, who will be joined by US-based Boyens and goal-grabbing World Cup hero Winston Reid.

Elliott and Brown will play in midfield while the attacking duties will be with Smeltz, the exciting Kosta Barbarouses and Chris Wood who was used as a substitute against the Mexicans last year.

Normally a right-sided central defender but capable of playing fullback, Boxall is not fazed by the switch.

"It's always a big honour to get your first start for your national team and to be honest I don't really care what position it is," said Boxall. "I'm just going to go out there and do the best I can. I'm sure good things will come from it. I have faith in my teammates and they have faith in me and we'll just go out there and do a job."

Barbarouses wins his third cap and will be reunited with Wood after the pair played for the National Under-17 team.

Moss, who missed the first two World Cup games through suspension and the third when Mark Paston deservedly retained the goalkeeping spot, lines up for his 18th international with Paston, recovering from injury, on the bench.

Despite a long list of injuries, including Tony Lochhead, Tommy Smith, Leo Bertos and Rory Fallon, the All Whites have firepower on the bench with Chris Killen, Michael McGlinchey and Jeremy Brockie among the substitutes

"The group is quite depleted. It's probably the most difficult position we've been in terms of players missing," said Herbert.

"We know a lot about Chris [Killen] and Jeremy [Brockie] and we're starting to know a little bit more about Michael [McGlinchey]. Those three will probably play a more major role in the Australia game."

Midfielder Craig Henderson is struggling with a hamstring strain and was not considered.

Mexico, ranked 28th in the world - New Zealand are 60th - are unbeaten in their last six matches and are preparing for the 12-nation Concacaf tournament where they will defend their title and bid for a place in the 2013 Fifa Confederations Cup in Brazil.

ALL WHITES v MEXICO
* Invesco Field at Mile High.
* Denver, Colorado.
* Today 2pm (NZ time) live SS1.

ALL WHITES

Glen Moss, Winston Reid, Ivan Vicelich, Simon Elliott, Tim Brown, Shane Smeltz, Kosta Barbarouses, Michael Fitzgerald, Andrew Boyens, Michael Boxall, Chris Wood. Substitutes: Ben Sigmund, Chris Killen, Mark Paston, Michael McGlinchey, Aaron Clapham, Jake Gleeson, Jeremy Brockie, David Mulligan.

MEXICO

(From): Alfredo Talavera, Guillermo Ochoa, Jonathan Orozco, Edgar Duenas, Ricardo Osorio, Jorge Torres Nilo, Efrain Juarez, Rafael Marquez, Francisco Javier Rodriguez, Hector Moreno, Carlos Salcido, Gerardo Torrado, Antonio Naelson, Christian Bermudez, Jesus Zavala, Israel Castro, Andres Guardado, Angel Reyna, Aldo de Nigris, Elias Hernandez, Giovanni Dos Santos, Pablo Barrera.