Chris Wood of New Zealand Photo: PHOTOSPORT
Picking up wins against top sides remains the focus for All Whites veteran Chris Wood as they close in on the start of their World Cup qualification process.
The 94th-ranked All Whites will play Mexico and the United States in friendlies over the next week, their last outings before the start of the Oceania World Cup qualifying series.
New Zealand continues to dominate their opposition in Oceania, but victories outside of the region are generally few and far between.
Coach Darren Bazeley recalled a host of his best offshore-based players for these games headed by Nottingham Forest striker Wood.
Bazeley used the OFC Nations Cup in June to blood a handful of new caps, but called on his most experienced players from around the world for the games against Mexico and the US.
"We're coming here to win games and it's about time we do well against these higher ranked oppositions and we're looking forward to the challenges of that," Wood told RNZ.
The 32-year-old admitted that since the start of this World Cup cycle they had been trying to develop a side that could be competitive against the best.
"The first couple of years of a cycle is about building and learning things from different managers and Darren came in with his own philosophy and style and you have to get accustomed to that on the pitch.
"But yes, I think we're at the crucial point where winning games is now the priority."
That will be tested against 17th-ranked Mexico and 16th-ranked US in the coming days.
"Definitely we can compete and score victories, and we're going to have to if we get to the World Cup.
"We have a squad capable of doing that and we just have to put it all together. We haven't done it yet against one of these big oppositions and it's time that we showed that."
A good crowd is expected at the Rose Bowl in Pasedena on Sunday (NZ time) for the game. The two sides met in front of a capacity crowd of 90,000 at the iconic stadium in southern California in 2010, with Wood on the bench that day as Mexico won 2-0.
He was expecting a similar environment this time.
"It's going to be loud with a good atmosphere. Mexico are in a transitional period with a new manager, a few new players with possibly a change of style, but what we can control is what we do on the pitch."
Wood expected the majority of the squad to get good playing time in the two games.
Sarpreet Singh and Tyler Bindon withdrew from the squad because of injury, while Logan Rogerson and Bill Tuiloma were added.
Following the North American games, New Zealand will start the OFC FIFA World Cup qualifying with games against Tahiti in Vanuatu in October and Vanuatu in Hamilton in November.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup is being co-hosted by Canada, the United States and Mexico.
For the first time Ocean will have one direct entry spot to the expanded 48-team tournament, with the possibility of a second spot via the inter-confederation play-offs.
8 September 1pm NZT
All Whites vs Mexico
Rose Bowl Stadium, Pasadena, California, US
11 September 11am NZT
All Whites vs US
TQL Stadium, Cincinnati, Ohio, US