Trini still fancy chances
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ByEurosport
Published 16/11/2005 at 08:05 GMT
Bahrain enter Wednesday's world cup play-off match with Trinidad in Manama as favourites after their 1-1 draw in Port of Spain. However, Trinidad captain Dwight Yorke is still confident that the Soca Warriors can progress if they show the same fighting s
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Coupled with their success in reaching this stage via a similar play-off - Bahrain achieved a 1-1 draw at Uzbekistan before holding them to a goal-less draw at home - and the obvious benefit of home advantage, Bahrain will go into the match with some confidence.
Belgian boss Luka Peruzovic's charges are now just one step away from a historic first appearance for the tiny Gulf country in the World Cup finals.
"There is still another game to play in Manama so we have to prepare well and keep our concentration throughout the 90 minutes, " the coach said.
He is also worried about the effects of the inter-continental travel that always blights these Asian-American play-offs:
"We have to recover from the journey as soon as possibl e," he said.
Bahrain adopt a defensively-minded style and it is this frugality that has seen them progress first to the group stages of Asian World Cup qualification in 2001, then to the Asian Cup semi-finals and now just one step away from Germany.
The Gulf nation frustrated Trinidad with their organisation, the home side only equalising through a thunderbolt from Port Vale's Chris Birchall late on.
FIGHTING CHANCE
Afterwards Trinidad coach Leo Beenhakker said: "We knew right from the beginning that Bahrain were going to be tough opponents. We have three or four days to discover a way of overcoming them."
Beenhakker thinks that his team "can play much better", and captain Dwight Yorke is also convinced that his team are still in with a fighting chance.
"I want to say that this tie is far from over. There's still the next game to play.
"We know that the fans and indeed the whole nation will be disappointed with the result and maybe the performance. But we know what needs to be done now and that is going to Bahrain and winning and putting the tie away."
Birchall is the Soca Warriors only white player in 60 years - qualifying through maternal birthright - and wasn't expected to start after picking up an injury with club side Port Vale.
Yorke contined: "I am very happy about the character my team showed after we went behind because before I think there were times when we would just fold up.
"But we responded well and while I have been fortunate to see a lot of really good goals in my career, Chris Birchall's strike was a very good one and he deserves full credit for that."
Yorke wants more of the same for the away leg:
"Now we must go there and put our heads together again and do what is necessary to realise this dream of ours.
"We have to still fancy our chances and there's no reason to think that we are not capable of still doing it."
Bahrain v Trinidad & Tobago, live on Eurosport.com/uk from 17:00cet on Wednesday 16th Novermber!
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