PLAYERS and fans alike will be high on adrenaline when Bermuda's footballers step out in front of a packed National Sports Centre crowd on Sunday for their do-or-die World Cup clash with El Salvador (kick-off 7 p.m.).

Nothing less than victory will allow coach Kenny Thomspon's team to progress to the third qualifying phase, after El Salvador won last weekend's first leg 2-1.

John Barry Nusum's precious away goal, coupled with an heroic defensive effort to limit the Central Americans to a one-goal advantage means a 1-0 victory would be enough for Bermuda to go through.

And even though the Central Americans are 60 places above Bermuda in the FIFA world rankings ? and star player Shaun Goater has been ruled out due to a calf strain ? Thompson believes his team can upset the form book.

"I think we can beat them," said Thompson. "We were under immense pressure for much of the first game, but that was to be expected away from home. They had to be the aggressors in the first leg.

"They are a team that deserves respect. But we have quality of our own, we have determination and being at home and in a comfortable environment, we can raise our level."

Injury problems facing strikers Nusum and Stephen Astwood have cleared up and Thomspson said both should be available.

Thompson said he would be confident in whatever 11 players he started with and denied being frustrated about Goater's injury.

"Of course, it's important for us that we have those three players in the team," he said. "But if they are not available, we expect those waiting in the wings to be able to step in. We have a squad capable of withstanding problems that are normal in football.

"To be honest I'm not worried. We can't replace Shaun Goater's quality, but we do have replacements who can come in and give a good account of themselves. And you have to remember that Shaun has played only a couple of matches lately for us, so we're used to playing without him.

"When we go 1-0 down in a match, we must not get down on ourselves and let one setback lead to more setbacks. It's the same when it comes to injuries. We must not allow ourselves to get frustrated. We have to find solutions and solutions lie in our other players."

The last time Bermuda enjoyed such World Cup success was 1992, when a team including Thompson and Goater defeated Haiti and Antigua to get through to the group stages.

They started off those group matches with a 1-0 home win against El Salvador but eventually failed to progress from a group which also included Jamaica and Canada.

Their efforts were a boost to the game in Bermuda, but Thompson felt the feel-good factor had been wasted ? a mistake that he vowed would not be repeated this time, win or lose on Sunday.

"In 1992, it was also a good situation for local football, but we did not take advantage of that success because the programme stopped immediately after the team was eliminated," Thompson said.

"We must not do that this time. We must build on whatever success we achieve."

In El Salvador, Bermuda did not just have a decent football team to deal with, they were also faced with a hostile crowd and, reportedly, opponents who routinely over-reacted after challenges.

Thompson was delighted his players came through the test with a good result and no yellow cards and put that down to the focus and discipline of his team as well as the experience gleaned during their spring tour of Panama and Nicaragua.

"We have urged the players to stay composed and calm in any situation," the coach said. "We had our trials and tribulations in preparation matches with some players getting sent off.

"All of the players learned from those situations, not just from a behavioural standpoint, but also in being able to handle the immense pressure that comes with playing in international matches.

"On the tour we were able to sample a bit of what it's like in Central America. Our younger players were able to grow. The older players who did not travel, like Shaun and Meshach Wade, did not need that experience. But our younger players need that kind of experience and exposure."

Thompson praised his players, technical staff and support staff for their efforts which had left Bermuda with a real opportunity to win a difficult tie.

"I can't praise them enough for the commitment they have shown and the sacrifices they've made," he said. "They have been 100 percent focused on the objective.

"You could see that during the meetings we had, their attention to meals and their focus during training sessions to ensure we represent Bermuda as well as we possibly can.

"We also have the under-17s and the under-20s preparing for their World Cup qualifiers in August, so overall I'm pleased with the way the natioanl programme is going.

"We can take a giant step forward with a victory on Sunday, as long as it's the right victory. The right victory would be 1-0, the wrong victory would be 3-2."