NEW YORK, June 7 (Reuters) - Netherlands ⁠coach Ronald Koeman plans to use Monday’s friendly against Uzbekistan in ⁠New York as an opportunity for his first-choice line-up to have ‌a proper dress rehearsal ahead of their opening World Cup clash against Japan next weekend.

The rest of the Dutch squad will then play a second unofficial game against the Uzbeks straight afterwards, ​made up of two 35-minute halves, Koeman announced ⁠on Sunday.

“We want to use the ⁠first match to make as few changes as possible. We have to wait ⁠and ‌see if that works,” he said at a press conference ahead of the clash hat the Ichan Stadium.

“We are going to play the ⁠first match largely with our starting team. It is ​also good for guys ‌who are not 100% fit who can then play in the second ⁠match. That ​is why we are playing two matches.

"We have 26 players and everyone gets minutes to play. That's what you want."

A decision still needs to be made regarding defender Jurrien ⁠Timber, who only joined the squad last Thursday ​after playing for Arsenal in the Champions League final on May 30.

It was Timber’s first outing since March after struggling with a groin injury and there remains ⁠concern over his levels of fitness.

“If he trains and is fully fit, he always makes a good impression. That hasn't been the case every day, so we have to make a decision,” Koeman told reporters.

“He participated in training and we ​are going to sit down with the doctor ⁠and Jurrien at the end of (Sunday) afternoon to see whether he is going to ​start or not,” the coach added.

The Dutch open ‌their Group F campaign against Japan in ​Dallas on Sunday. Uzbekistan take on Colombia on June 17 in Group K.

(Writing by Mark Gleeson in Cape Town; Editing by Nick Zieminski)