4 Apr 2009

All Whites to play Italy

7:03 am on 4 April 2009

The New Zealand footballers will wrap up their Confederations Cup build-up with their first match against the World Cup holders Italy in South Africa on June 10.

The match in Pretoria is four days before the All Whites take on the European Champions and current world number one Spain in their Confederations Cup opener at Rustenburg on June 14.

Coach Ricki Herbert is says playing the the best two teams in the world back-to-back is a real coup,

Before they play Italy the All Whites will visit Tanzania and Botswana for friendlies on June 3 and June 6.

Their other Confederations Cup matches are against South Africa in Rustenburg on June 17and the Asian champions Iraq in Johannesburg on June 20.

They'll play the fifth-placed Asian zone team in a World Cup playoff late this year.