New Zealand Football’s bid for a berth at the London Olympics faces an acid test later this month with two demanding matches against Saudi Arabia in Melbourne.

The under-23 Olympic side play the Frank Rijkaard-coached Saudis at Lakeside Stadium on February 20. Saudi Arabia are in Melbourne to prepare for a World Cup qualifier against Australia on February 29.

The young New Zealanders will be bolstered for the second game on February 23 by four members of All Whites coach Ricki Herbert’s extended national squad – Ivan Vicelich, Aaron Clapham, David Mulligan and Cole Peverley.

However, the team will be missing star under-23 players Chris Wood, Tommy Smith, Marco Rojas, Kosta Barbarouses and Jake Gleeson.

New Zealand can qualify for the London Games by winning the Oceania qualification tournament in Taupo on March 16-25, but under-23 coach Neil Emblen says it’s unlikely the five players will be available for that tournament.

“Having any of them for the qualifiers remains an outside chance at best due to club commitments,” he said.

“We need to learn how to play without them and games like this will certainly expose our local players to a level of football they haven’t experienced before.”

Squad: Scott Basalaj, Rhyss Keane, Michael Eagar, Michael Kramer, James Musa, Tim Myers, Tristan Prattley, Alex Fenderidis, Jason Hicks, Cameron Lindsay, Adam McGeorge, Daniel Saric, Adam Thomas, Louis Fenton, Ethan Galbraith, Sean Lovemore, Dakota Lucas, Aaron Clapham, David Mulligan, Cole Peverley, Ivan Vicelich.