Top striker Hubail says he’s ready

The joint-top scorer at last year’s AFC Asian Cup had been out of action for seven months before returning to the squad for last month’s Asian Zone decider against Uzbekistan.

Hubail came on as a late substitute in both legs of that tie but now considers himself ready to return to the starting lineup.

"I am now 100 percent fit and ready to play all 180 minutes against TT," said the forward, who lent weight to his words with the two goals he scored for Qatari club Al Gharafa against Al Rayyan at the weekend.

Hubail, along with Bahrain’s other Qatar and Kuwait-based players, joined up with the rest of the squad on Sunday before flying to the Caribbean to meet up with coach Luka Peruzovic, who arrived there early ahead of Saturday’s first leg in Port-of-Spain.

"I was hoping to organise a training camp in a Caribbean or a South American country," Peruzovic said. "But after we failed to do that, I still believe it’s better to arrive early to adapt to the conditions especially since it is our first experience in such a place."

Peruzovic produced one surprise in the squad he named by omitting Naser Duaij. The highly rated forward, who plays for Qatari club Al Wakra, was left out after putting on weight, according to the coach.

"This is a decisive moment in the history of this nation and I have no intent of gambling," he said. "Only the players who were fully fit and ready to go were selected."

Influential defender Mohammed Husain also missed out because of a muscle strain.