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Celtic's New Zealand striker Chris Killen - Source: Reuters -
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The pressure of Saturday's do-or-die World Cup qualifier can only improve the sport in New Zealand, All White Chris Killen says.
The game, which will be watched by a capacity 35,500 crowd at Wellington Stadium, presents New Zealand with the opportunity to make the finals for the first time in 27 years.
New Zealand held on for a 0-0 draw when the teams met in the first leg of the qualifier in Manama last month.
Now they must win to seal their spot in the finals, in South Africa next June and July.
Under the away goals rule, Bahrain would go through if there was a score draw.
Another 0-0 deadlock would mean extra time with a penalty shootout if no goals were scored.
Killen said he felt the team would benefit from the experience of Saturday's match.
"This is good for all the guys, it's something that we're not used to," Killen said.
"We haven't had this great support and I think it's what's needed for New Zealand football, we need expectation on the players, we need things demanded from our side a bit more and hopefully that will raise our game."
The striker arrived in New Zealand on Tuesday afternoon after travelling back from Scotland, where he plays for Scottish Premier League club Celtic.
Struggling with fatigue
Despite struggling with fatigue from the flight in his first training session, Killen said he was happy with the way the team had come together in the sessions.
"We've tried a few formations and I think we've got a good forward line, and I think we need to use it and that's what we're going to do on Saturday," he said.
"We're playing to win, we know there's one chance and we've got to go for it."
At a training session yesterday afternoon, New Zealand practised for the possibility of a penalty shootout, taking turns replicating the lonely journey from the halfway line to the penalty spot.
Even the goalkeepers stepped up to take a spotkick to cover all possibilities.
Simon Elliott, who has been troubled by a hip injury, upped his participation in training and took full part in some team drills .
Earlier this week, coach Ricki Herbert expressed his confidence in the team, saying they had the goods to pull through.
"There needs to be that passion and adrenaline flowing through the body, otherwise we probably haven't got the right players in the squad," he said.
"I like what I see. I've always backed this group, I think there's some great strength in there, we've gone through some tough times and Saturday's a great opportunity for the game."
Meanwhile, Bahrain are showing the same confidence as the New Zealand camp.
Bahrain not afraid
Coach Milan Macala, who arrived in Wellington with the full squad on Thursday afternoon, told Australian television network SBS the chances the team had created in the first leg had given them motivation for the game.
"We will not be afraid of our opponents. Our main aim is to score early in order to put pressure on our opponents, who will be playing at home in front of their own fans."
Macala said the chance to take Bahrain through to the finals for the first time was a dream.
"If we make this dream come true, it will be a big achievement for this tiny kingdom and will help Bahrain advance up the world ranking."
