Two of the Wellington Phoenix's School of Excellence players have been handed a start in tonight's historic pre-season match in India against URO Sikkim United.
Luke Rowe and Louis Fenton will run out alongside the senior Phoenix stars in the first clash between teams from the Indian League and the Australian A-League, thanks to suspensions to Andrew Durante, Manny Muscat and Ben Sigmund for fighting in an earlier game in Newcastle.
Former Jets star Jeremy Brockie is the only senior player on the Phoenix bench with five other youngsters awaiting their chance to impress coach Ricki Herbert, including promising young New Zealand junior goalkeeper Scott Basalaj.
The game kicks off at 8.30 New Zealand time at Imphal in Manipur state, a hotbed of Indian football with seven of the current national team hailing from the region.
Phoenix team:
Glen Moss, Leo Bertos, Michael Boxall, Tony Lochhead, Luke Rowe, Louis Fenton, Cameron Lindsay, Alex Smith, Benjamin Totori, Paul Ifill, Tyler Boyd. Substitutes: Scott Basalaj, Jeremy Brockie, Tom Biss, Tom Doyle, Alec Solomons, Justin Gulley
