Bermuda 2 El Salvador 2

(El Salvador win 4-3

on aggregate)

Bermuda's World Cup run came to a crunching halt last night. But not one of the estimated four and half thousand fans who squeezed into the National Sports Centre can have left the ground with anything but admiration for a team which for the second week in succession gave their absolute all.

In a performance every bit as brave as their 2-1 defeat in El Salvador a week ago, Bermuda saw their hopes dashed in a split-second incident which turned the game on its head just a couple of minutes before half-time.

Clinging on to a precious 2-1 lead - and all square on aggregate - Kenny Thompson's men found themselves not for the first time stretched by the skilful Rudi Corrales and with the latter's diving header destined for the back of the net, skipper Kentoine Jennings instinctively stuck out an arm to turn the ball away.

Cayman referee Alfredo Whittaker, who never really stamped his authority on this game, had no option but to award a penalty and at the same time show Jennings the red card.

Down to ten men, it quickly got worse for Bermuda as Alfredo Pacheco stepped up to slam his spot kick past ‘keeper Timmy Figureido.

Leading 4-3 on aggregate and with two away goals in the bag, the Salvadoreans were now in complete control, a depleted Bermuda side needing two goals to advance.

Having held the upper hand for most of the first half, Bermuda suddenly found themselves with a mountain to climb. But it wasn't for lack of effort that they never managed to reach the summit.

In a game that had the crowd on the edge of their seats for almost the entire 90 minutes, Bermuda got off to a dream start.

As Khano Smith leapt to challenge a long ball into the box, referee Whittaker spotted a push in the back and quickly pointed to the spot - a decision which appeared to surprise both sides.

Shannon Burgess fired the resulting penalty wide of ‘keeper Juan Jose Gomez and all of a sudden Bermuda had erased the 2-1 deficit and were ahead overall.

But with the visitors using both flanks effectively and pushing forward at every opportunity, it was always going to be a tenuous lead.

Figureido was twice called upon to save shots from Pacheco and it was that same striker who hauled his side back into the game in the 19th minute.

Fouled some six yards outside the area, Pacheco got up to drive a powerful free kick which took a wicked deflection off the wall, leaving Figureido wrong-footed - and the ball in the back of the net.

But any fears that equaliser might take the wind out of Bermuda's sails were quickly quashed as within two minutes the home team were back in front courtesy of one of the best goals ever seen at the NSC.

Not surprisingly it was John Barry Nusum, scorer of Bermuda's goal in San Salvador last week and six more before that in the last World Cup tie against Montserrat, who provided the exquisite finishing touch.

A magnificent ball from the right flank by Damon Ming into the heart of the box found the big striker who rose superbly to steer a glancing header into the top corner.

For all the wrong reasons, Khano Smith then found himself at the centre of attention just a few minutes later when, challenging for a long through ball, he kicked ‘keeper Gomez in the chest. The lanky forward was shown the yellow card and in the melee that followed the names of Ming and Diego Mejia - who had only been on the field for a minute as a substitute for Roberto Ochoa - also went into the referee's book.

With El Salvador's players increasingly becoming frustrated, one sensed that if Bermuda could maintain their lead until at least half-time the game was theirs for the taking.

But just two minutes before that half-time whistle, it all went horribly wrong.

Jennings' automatic sending off left Thompson in a quandary, the coach eventually opting to pull the influential Meshach Wade out of midfield and into the huge void left by his skipper at the centre of defence.

Needing two goals to keep the dream alive, Bermuda might have retaken the lead just moments into the second half, defender Burgess finding space inside the box only to send his header in front of a wide open goal ballooning over the top.

It was to prove Bermuda's best chance of the half, and a costly miss.

Using the type of time-wasting tactics for which the Central and South Americans have become notorious, El Salvador now took great pleasure in frustrating their opponents. On no fewer than four occasions, ref Whittaker was forced to summon the stretcher as Salvadoreans hit the deck as if felled by an axe. Predictably, within seconds of reaching the touchline they would be back on their feet and ready to play.

Stephen Astwood and Nusum almost combined to find the net in the 61st minute, Nusum's flick just missing the target while at the other end a thunderbolt from Pacheco had Figureido at full stretch.

Thompson replaced Astwood with Carlos Smith in the 65th minute and the tiring Khano Smith with Ralph Bean in the 78th minute but with the seconds ticking away it was evident Bermuda's valiant effort would fall just short.

The final chance fell to the hard-working Wade, who must have covered every blade of grass on the pitch. Presented with a free kick 23 yards out, he sent a low screamer just wide of Gomez' post.

Bermuda: Timmy Figureido, Kevin Richards, Shannon Burgess, Kentoine Jennings, Stanton Lewis, Meshach Wade, Khano Smith (Ralph Bean 78 mins), Ottis Steede, Damon Ming, John Barry Nusum, Stephen Astwood (Carlos Smith 65 mins).

Subs: David Thomas, Kaiwon Dill, Ralph Bean, Blenn Bean, Carlos Smith, Clevon Hill, Troy Hall.

Sent off: Kentoine Jennings (43 mins).

Booked: Damon Ming (32 mins); Khano Smith (32 mins)

El Salvador: Juan Jose Gomez, Edwin Carronza, Victor Velasquez, Erick Prado, Ernesto Gochez (Josue Goldamez (81 mins), Rudi Corrales (Juan Campos 75 mins), Roberto Ochoa (Diego Mejia 32 mins) Gilberto Murgas, Alfredo Pacheco, William Torres, Jose Martinez.

Subs: Santos Rivera, Efrain Gutierrez, Ramon Sanchez, Juan Campos, Diego Mejia, Josue Goldamez, Mauricio Quintanilla.

Booked: Erick Prado (4 mins), Diego Mejia (32 mins), Jose Martinez (66 mins)

Referee: Alfredo Whittaker (Cayman Islands), Livingston Baley (Cayman Islands), Noel Williams (Cayman Islands).