All Whites coach Danny Hay is hoping his young players make the most of their opportunity against Lithuania on Monday (NZ time), confirming he'll field a different starting side to the one which faced Ireland.
The match at LFF Stadium in Vilnius will pose numerous challenges for the All Whites in what will be an intriguing fixture.
Lithuania head into the match without a win in their last 19 fixtures, while their most recent defeat (6-0 against Portugal) is their worst since the country regained independence from the Soviet Union in 1990.
In fact, New Zealand will become only the second non-European nation to play in Lithuania since then (Indonesia played there in 1996).
The All Whites head into the match as favourites, even though Hay will field a relatively inexperienced team, with Tommy Smith wearing the captain's armband.
That will give the chance to players like keeper Michael Woud, and attackers Elliot Collier, Andre de Jong - all who have fewer than five caps - the chance to start.
Hay will be keeping a close eye on his team to see who will put their hand up to be involved in the upcoming bid to qualify for the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
"I told the players that I was going to give everyone a chance and I want to walk away from this window that their character and mentality has been tested," he said.
"They've all been given a fair opportunity to see if they fit with the playing style and whether they're invested in the direction we're taking.
"We need to know we've got a good group moving forward and we've got the right people involved.
"I believe the players who have been given the chance will step up and rise to the occasion."
Another factor the All Whites have to accustom themselves to is playing on artificial turf. Hay said the pitch would "pose some challenges" but expects his team to adjust accordingly.
"We're playing on artificial turf, which is quite different and this seems older, so it will pose a few challenges.
"It means we can't play a slick passing game. The ball bobbles around and it's not flat. The style of play we're trying to implement is about being creative at the right times, but we'll have to adjust."
The All Whites have only had one training session before the match, as they spent all of Saturday travelling from Dublin to Vilnius.
One thing they have been working on is their defence at set-piece time. Hay said that's where his team struggled in the 3-1 defeat to Ireland and that's where he expects Lithuania to be strong.
"After analysing the matches of Lithuania, we realised that this is a physically strong defending team.
"They're a big side in terms of stature and physical presence, which will cause problems. They're great at set-pieces, and that's where we struggled against Ireland.
"It's going to be a battle."
Even though they haven't much time to explore Vilnius, Hay said he loves the capital city.
"I personally jumped online and did some research. Vilnius is a beautiful city, we were fascinated by the architecture and cleanliness of the city.
"Everyone is welcoming, and we are looking forward to the match with the Lithuanians."
Join us at 3am Monday for live updates of the All Whites v Lithuania football clash
