Bermuda?s chances of advancing to the Digicel Cup Finals in Trinidad and Tobago next January are just as good as any of the remaining countries in the tournament.

Such is the level of optimism expressed by national football coach Kyle Lightbourne who is currently preparing the national squad for the second round of Digicel Cup qualifiers to be held in Barbados from November 19-23.

Bermuda open their Digicel Cup final qualifying bid against Group G rivals St. Vincent and the Grenadines on November 19 before taking on Bahamas on November 21 and host country Barbados on November 23.

The top two finishers in Group G will automatically qualify for the Digicel Cup Finals in Trinidad and Tobago early next year, while the third-placed finishers will receive another shot at qualifying by way of a play-off.

The Digicel Cup is the Caribbean qualification to the 2007 CONCACAF Gold Cup to be hosted by the USA from June 6-24.

Of Bermuda?s Digicel Group G rivals, only Bahamas (146) is ranked below the Island who currently share 122nd position on FIFA?s list of world rankings alongside Surinam.

St. Vincent, fresh off a shock first-round 2-1 defeat of regional powerhouse Jamaica, are currently ranked 85th while host country Barbados currently occupy 100th position on FIFA?s world rankings.

Bermuda drew 3-3 with St. Vincent in St. Vincent in 2004, but were beaten 2-1 and 4-0 by visiting Barbados at the National Sports Centre (NSC) earlier the same year.

Therefore, coach Lightbourne is under no illusions how difficult a task advancing to the final stages of the CONCACAF Gold Cup qualifier will be when the Island?s squad touches down in the Caribbean later this month.

?On paper it appears as though Bahamas are the weaker team because St. Vincent are ranked above us and play a lot more matches than us. So St. Vincent will definitely be one of the strongest teams in the group.

?But it all boils down to what happens on the day, and we?re going to get in as much training as we possibly can,? Lightbourne said.

Bermuda depart for the Caribbean on November 17 and return November 24.

Lightbourne has again secured the services of overseas based players John Barry Nusum, Kevin Richards, Devrae Tankard, Khano Smith, Damon Ming, Logan Alexander, Tuarean Manders and ?keeper Nigel Burgess.

And the former Coventry City striker has also invited Boulevard striker Shaki Crockwell to train with the squad, further bolstered by the return from injury of inspirational sweeper Kentoine Jennings.

Jennings, though, will have to sit out Bermuda?s opening contest against St. Vincent through suspension after being sent off during the Island?s previous Digicel Cup against the Dominican Republic in the US Virgin Islands.

Jennings? North Village team-mate, Keishen Bean, has been listed as doubtful at this particular stage, having aggravated a groin while representing Bermuda?s Under-20s in Haiti last month.

Still, Lightbourne fancies his team?s chances given the talent he does have at his disposal.

?Our aim is to make it to the finals and progress as far as we possibly can,? he added. ?We are now about to come up against stiff opposition. But if we can play to our full potential we will be able to give our opponents a good run.

?So it?s now up to us to go down there and play to our full potential. We must now put all of the other games we?ve played behind us and prepare ourselves mentally and physically for the new challenge that lies ahead.?