KEY POINTS:
New Zealand's young players have been handed a golden chance of early international play with unexpected, but very welcome, matches against the Australia-bound Chilean under-18 side.
The national under-17 squad, preparing for April's Oceania under-17 championships in Fiji, will play Chile tonight (6.30pm) at Allen Hill Stadium in Devonport and on Sunday (12.30pm) as a curtainraiser to the NZFC clash between Waitakere United and Team Wellington at Trusts Stadium.
New Zealand Football chief executive Michael Glading said the growing relationship between the countries had clear benefits.
"We forged a formal alliance in 2007, as hosts of the 2008 Fifa under-17 and under-20 Women's World Cups and an opportunity like this is a further example of the on-field spin-off for New Zealand," Glading said.
The matches, the last under coach Colin Tuaa, who has accepted the role as chief executive of the Samoa Football Association, will be a key part of what will be a short build-up to the Fiji tournament.
Given the abject failure of the under-20 team in Tahiti, it is vital the under-17 team return to winning form to claim a place in October's Fifa World Cup in Nigeria.
