With the mercury forecast to peak at 40 degrees on the day when the Young All Whites take on Uzbekistan in their Group D opener on June 19 in Torreon, the squad are using their week in Arizona to acclimatise.
“The players worked admirably,” New Zealand coach Aaron McFarland said from Arizona.
“They worked their socks off but worked smartly. They were patient, they set good defensive traps and were a cohesive unit but we know defence has to be a strength of ours.
“The club side were older, physically stronger, and a bit quicker than us and of course more used to the heat but we split possession in the first half and although we got a bit loose in the last 20 minutes that is to be expected when you are chasing the game.”
Tim Payne captained the Young All Whites in the absence of usual skipper Luke Adams who was left out of the side to nurse an ankle knock.
The Young All Whites enjoyed the majority of the possession in the opening stages of the match but couldn’t create a clear chance until Dylan Stansfield turned his marker only to drive his shot straight at the goalkeeper.
At the opposite end Scott Basalaj had been rarely required to do anything other than act as an outlet until the 34th minute when he was called into action and produced a sharp save at the near post to deny the locals.

However, Tuscon opened the scoring from the resulting corner with New Zealand unable to clear the danger in the six-yard box after a header rocked the kiwi crossbar.
Three minutes later Basalaj was in the thick of it again, denying the increasingly confident Tuscon side.
The heat and pressure took its toll as New Zealand conceded a second after neat build-up play down the left flank left Tuscon with a simple tap-in.
McFarland used 20 of his 21 players in the match to spread valuable minutes around the squad and balance the effects of the heat on starting players.
As the match wore on the game opened up and Jordan Vale spurned New Zealand’s best chance in the 84th minute after a driving run from Stephen Carmichael.
Substitute goalkeeper Liam Anderson was forced into a great save in the 87th minute in the last meaningful action of the match.

The Young All Whites will play against local academy side Real Salt Lake on Wednesday (NZ time) before moving on to Mexico where they face Uzbekistan, Czech Republic and the USA.
Tour match
Francisco Grande
Casa Grande, Arizona
Sunday 12 June
FC Tuscon 2 (34’, 73’) New Zealand U-17 0
Halftime 1-0
New Zealand: 1-Scott BASALAJ (GK) (21-Liam ANDERSON 77′), 16-Bill TUILOMA (3-Stephen CARMICHAEL 73′), 4-Reece LAMBERT (18-Calvin OPPERMAN 81′), 7-Kip COLVEY, 18-Calvin OPPERMAN (2-Harshae RANIGA 46′), 6-Jordan VALE, 12-Jesse EDGE (17-Harley TAHAU 73′), 8-Rhys JORDAN (13-Cameron MARTIN 46′), 9-Tim PAYNE (captain / James DEBENHAM 73′), 10-Cameron HOWIESON (14-Ryan HOWLETT 66′), Dylan STANSFIELD (19-Ken YAMAMOTO 46′).
Substitutes not used: 20-Scott ARMISTEAD (RGK)
Not considered due to injury: Luke ADAMS
Coach: Aaron McFARLAND

Remaining tour match
Real Salt Lake Academy v New Zealand U-17
Casa Grande, Arizona
Tuesday 14 June 6pm (Wednesday 15 June, 1pm NZT)
FIFA U-17 World Cup Mexico 2011
June 18 – July 10
New Zealand v Uzbekistan
Estadio Torreon
Torreon, Mexico
June 19, 3pm (June 20, 8am NZT)
New Zealand v Czech Republic
Estadio Torreon
Torreon, Mexico
June 22, 6pm (June 23, 11am NZT)
New Zealand v USA
Estadio Hidalgo
Pachuca, Mexico
June 25, 6pm (June 26, 11am NZT)
Story courtesy of New Zealand Football.
For more on New Zealand football go to www.nzfootball.co.nz