Hero’s welcome home for Bahrain team

The welcome followed the 1-1 draw with Trinidad and Tobago at the Hasely Crawford Stadium in Port-of-Spain on Saturday night. Bahrain holds home advantage over the Warriors who must win the return play-off match on Wednesday to advance to the World Cup finals in Germany next year.

While the Bahrain team got a hero’s welcome home, confusion reigned at the airport for the TT supporters.

The Bahrain officials were obviously caught offside and surprised by the invading Warriors’ supporters numbering close to 200.

The Air Tahiti chartered flight from Piarco International Airport to Bahrain arrived close to midnight here after a 13 and a half hour flight.

While the Warriors were allowed to pass through Immigration quite quickly, their supporters were held up for some time as Bahrain officials ran to and fro trying to organise a system to process the visitors.

Tension rose when the Trinidad and Tobago supporters were asked to pay US$42 for their Bahrain visas. They protested loudly saying that the charge was included in the price of the charter which cost TT$15,000 (double occupancy) and $17,000 (single occupancy).

Anthony Harford, of Allsports Promotion which organised the charter, and FIFA Vice-President Austin Jack Warner were then engaged in talks with the Bahrain officials.

In the end, the visitors were advised to pay the US$42 and a refund will be paid as the Bahrain nationals who came to Trinidad for the first leg of the play-off on Saturday had their visa charges waived.

It was an eventful trip for the Trinidadians, two Jamaicans, and a couple of Scots as they were treated to a high level of hospitality and service on the chartered aircraft. Among the dignitaries travelling with the team were President George Maxwell Richards and First Lady Dr Jean Ramjohn-Richards.

Journalists from the daily newspapers and television stations also made the trip.

The Warriors’ head coach Dutchman Leo Beenhakker will hold his first practice session this morning for the TT team at the National Stadium in Riffa where the return match will be played on Wednesday at 7 pm (12 midday Trinidad time).

The Bahrain team, riding on a high after their away draw, will also practise at the match venue today.

Trinidad and Tobago need to defeat Bahrain outright to secure a place in the 2006 World Cup finals in Germany.

This is the third time that Trinidad and Tobago has reached close. In 1973 in Haiti, the hand of a referee (later banned for life) ruled four goals offside allowing Haiti to win 2-1 and advance to the 1974 finals.

Again, in 1989, when Trinidad and Tobago needed just a draw at the National Stadium against the United States to advance to the 1990 finals in Italy, the then Strike Squad lost 1-0.