All Whites in Mexican Standoff for 2014 World Cup!

EDIT: The All Whites have named their side to face Mexico this Wednesday night -

Team to start - 

Moss(GK), Vicelich, Durante, Smith (captain), Lochhead, Christie, McGlinchey, Brockie, Bertos, Wood

The All Whites are set to face their greatest challenge ever to make only their third World Cup Finals and a second Finals in a row.

Yes, China and Bahrain are tough challenges to overcome but they're not quite in the same class as Mexico - the same Mexico who are currently ranked 24 in the world - 51 places ahead of the All Whutes, have appeared in 14 World Cups, reaching the quarterfinals when the World Cup was at home in 1970 and 1986, and have plenty of world class players including Manchester United's Chicharito and former Tottenham and Barcelona prospect, Giovanni dos Santos.

Indeed, Mexico are that good that Chicharito and dos Santos haven't even made the squad to face the All Whites.

Sorry United fans, he won't be coming to Wellington.

Well actually that's not quite the case.

In fact, interim coach, Miguel Herrera has decided to go homegrown with his Mexican side, naming zero players based in Europe's big leagues. It's quite a big gamble considering that this is Mexico's absolutely last chance to qualify for the World Cup and avoid missing out for the first time since 1990.

Perhaps, it is a ploy by Herrera to use players who are used to the Mexican climate and really are not rated by their own people after a very disappointing World Cup qualifying campaign that saw them finish well off the pace of the USA and Costa Rica, and pipped to the final automatic place by Honduras.

The most familiar name out of those "locals" is Rafa Marquez. Now a ripe old age of 34, former Barca defender, Marquez has 114 caps for his country and has plenty of experience at international level even if he is not quite the player he was when he was at the Camp Nou.

Indeed, the side is quite experienced - if age is the only factor in that regard - with many of the squad in their late 20s to early 30s. The youngest player is 22 year old Raul Jimenez who plays for Mexican club, America - he has 18 caps and 3 goals to his name.

CWood!

Mind you, the All Whites side is pretty senior in age too with the never-aging, Ivan Vicelich, now playing for Auckland City in the NZFC featuring at the ripe old age of 37 - the All Whites' youngest player is Leicester's Chris Wood at age 21 although Marco Rojas and Kosta Barbourouses are not that much older.

So the big question is can the All Whites win this Mexican stand-off in that most intimidating of arenas, the Azteca Stadium, in a country that by all accounts is far more passionate about football than the All Whites - let's be honest, not making the football World Cup for the Mexicans would be like the All Blacks not making it out of the Rugby World Cup pool stages, and given the gangs and drug lords there with guns, God better have mercy on all of them!

The Mexicans even without Chicharito and dos Santos will still be a very good side and a tough side to beat at home - skillful on the ball and very passionate in their play at home. What might count against them is their lack of physical strength and height - something that the likes of the USA, Costa Rica and Honduras have exploited greatly in this World Cup qualifying campaign, and something that the All Whites need to exploit if they are to get anything from this playoff.

Expect the All Whites to park the bus but it won't be that simple and the All Whites will need to be able to counter attack when they need to. Herbert will probably play 5 across midfield and 3 at the back - this should negate the loss of Winston Reid due to injury with Tommy Smith, Ivan Vicelich and Andrew Durante to play at the back. The 5-man midfield will mean the game will be kept in the middle of the park and snuff out the Mexican attack, and possibly allow for the counter-attack - on paper that is.

Whether Herbert is brave enough to start with Barborouses and Rojas on the wings in such a big game remains to be seen -  they might very well start off the bench. A fit Smeltz should get the nod up front with his experience, just ahead of Chris Wood even despite Wood being in good goal-scoring form for in-form Leicester City.

Will we see a repeat of this next Wednesday night?

The prognosis? Well, All Whites fans can keep dreaming on and on but there is no doubt that this is both the tie from heaven and hell.

Realistically, a draw would be a dream result for the All Whites - even a 1-0 loss would be manageable and at least give something for the Wellington crowd to cheer on (the last time Mexico played in New Zealand, they were whitewashed 4-0 albeit in the early 1980s when Mexican football was in a bit of doldrums).

Oh well, it'll still be worth taking an early, early, early lunch break on Thursday. Go All Whites!