Over 90,000 fans attended that sold-out match at the Pasadena Rose Bowl in March 2010 – a clash won 2-0 by Mexico – and another large crowd is expected at the 76,000-capacity INVESCO Field stadium.
“There’ll be very little neutral about the venue,” New Zealand coach Ricki Herbert says.
“Mexico were playing in front of a home crowd in Los Angeles and it will be exactly the same in Denver, but that’s great. We could be back in this part of the world in 2013 trying to take that last step to Brazil so we want another taste of that type of intimidating environment.”
In July, FIFA will conduct a draw determining whether the winner of New Zealand’s Oceania group will play off against Asian, North American or South American opposition over two legs for a place in the 2014 FIFA World Cup.
The match in Denver comes four days after Mexico face Ecuador in Seattle and will be the last warm up for El Tricolour before they try to defend their CONCACAF title in June’s Gold Cup beginning on June 5.
Tickets for the June 1 match go on sale in the USA on Monday.
Match details
International Friendly
Mexico v New Zealand
INVESCO Field at Mile High
Denver, USA
8pm, June 1, 2011 (2pm, June 2 NZT)
Tickets: www.ticketmaster.com (Pre sale from April 18, general from April 22).
Story courtesy of New Zealand Football.
For more on New Zealand football go to www.nzfootball.co.nz