Trinidad and Tobago coach Leo Beenhakker remained a confident man after tying Bahrain 1-1 before a partisan crowd of 24,991 fans in the 2006 World Cup qualifying half slot playoff at the Hasely Crawford Stadium on Saturday.
“It’s a little bit from two sides. One side says it’s a little bit disappointing and on the other hand I can I live with the draw simply because I know we didn’t play very well.
“We knew from the beginning that Bahrain was a tough opponent and from the moment we knew we had to play those games. We talked about it and I said to my players that at least you have to play on the level that you did in the last match against Mexico. At least you have to play on the same level to beat them because it’s not easy. But I have to say that we played far below our normal level. We have to accept it. Sometimes it happens in football. Not everyday is the same day. We now have to prepare ourselves for the second match and in that way it’s still what I said before this game which is that both teams have a 50 percent possibility. This 50 percent from our side is still there,” Beenhakker said after the match.
“I know that this team can play much better and for whatever argument you don’t play the way you can play, then you are always disappointed. You are always looking to play a good game and win a match. There were many times in the match when they (Bahrain) managed the match which I don’t like but that’s the consequences of my whole team not doing very well.
“One again, we have to look for a solution within three of four days.”
Commenting on the better second half showing by T&T, he added “I think first of all we brought (midfielder) Dwight Yorke more up front together with Stern John and Russell was not very much in the game and we tried to do it with Jason Scotland and Kenwyne Jones and we saw something a little bit different,” he added.
Beenhakker added that he didn’t think the slippery conditions caused by rainfall earlier in the day affected his team.
When asked about whether his team didn’t play well under the pressure of the overwhelming response of the home fans all clad in red.
“They are humans as well… football players.
“I don’t know yet. I have to talk to guys about it. I think that what I saw, there was a lot of pressure and some of these players made many technical mistakes which is not normal for these players.”
He didn’t feel Bahrain played far higher than their usual level.
“That’s the way I see they normally play. They weren’t above their usual level.”
The plan for the next match is the same as this one, which is to win,” Beenhakker ended.
“Now we must be prepared to go there and get that result and give that performance to bring it home.”