Bermuda Football Association (BFA) president Larry Mussenden has termed the Island?s performance in their World Cup qualifiers thus far ?a beacon for our football family and for the country?.

In the wake of Bermuda?s 2-1 away loss to El Salvador and with the return leg this Sunday at the National Sports Centre, he lauded the Bermudians for achieving ?a very respectable score? under trying and humid conditions.

The result, especially with an away goal in their favour, puts Bermuda on the brink of creating history by advancing to the third round for the first time if they can outwit the opposition on home soil.

?I?m absolutely pleased with the team?s performance in El Salvador. Based on all reports, they performed magnificently and have put Bermuda in a very good position to win on Sunday at the National Sports Centre. It?s a positive lift for our football.

?I want to commend all of them for being able to give what the coach asked for and probably even more than that,? said a thrilled Mussenden, shortly after welcoming Kenny Thompson?s side back home yesterday.

Despite the wave of euphoria now sweeping the football fraternity, the BFA leader warned against complacency as he expected El Salvador to arrive here ready to fire on all cylinders after being berated at home for their showing against the Bermudians.

?El Salvador will come here knowing the precarious position they are in and we will not take them lightly.

?We?re asking the players to deliver for the country and we?re asking the country to deliver for the players.

?We want a huge crowd there to support our team. If we advance to the next round that would be the first time Bermuda had reached the third round at senior level. We can do it and I know we will do it,? he said, urging fans to wear national team jerseys and colours to the 7 p.m. game.

On a related note, the same accommodation headache that threatened to take Bermuda?s home match to the USA is now proving a challenge to efforts to gather the national team together in the build-up to the crucial fixture.

Mussenden explained the BFA?s policy this year had been to house national players in a hotel for a day when they were playing home internationals but a lack of hotel rooms was making that difficult now. It is understood that Thompson had been pushing for the squad to be in a hotel for a longer period.

?If we?re having a difficult time trying to find hotels for a visiting team I think it?s obvious that we?re going to have difficult time finding them for the Bermuda team.

?We?re working on a solution,? said Mussenden, adding that he anticipated adequate arrangements would be made soon.

Tickets for Sunday?s match go on sale at the BFA?s office on Cedar Avenue today through until Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. as well as on Sunday from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. Grandstand seats will sell at $15 and general admission at $10.

Meanwhile, it was a weary Bermuda team that arrived home yesterday lunchtime to be greeted by Mussenden at the airport.

The players had left their hotel in San Salvador at 5 a.m. on Monday and were then delayed for several hours in Miami that same day before overnighting in New York.

With several players nursing injuries, rest could be a vital ingredient in the preparation for this Sunday?s match and coach Thompson will likely assess those injuries today when the team gather for training.

A huge question mark still hangs over the fitness of star striker Shaun Goater who was substituted early in the second half last Sunday with a calf strain which he suffered during training.

Also facing fitness tests will be first leg goalscorer John Barry Nusum and Stephen Astwood who both had to be substituted on Sunday.

Mussenden announced yesterday that the association?s new website, www.bfa.bm, was now up and running and urged local football fans to log on.