Soccer: Bertos expecting more chances in Wellington

All Whites midfielder Leo Bertos played mainly a defensive role in the first leg draw with Bahrain in Manama. Photo / Dean Purcell

All White Leo Bertos is expecting his attacking instincts to be given freer rein in the decisive second leg of the World Cup soccer playoff against Bahrain next month.

The Wellington Phoenix midfielder had plenty of defensive duties on his flank in the 0-0 draw in the opening leg in Manama last weekend, as coach Ricki Herbert opted for a formation with three centre backs.

"I guess it was more of a five at the back," he said.

"I didn't really get as forward as I would have liked, but that was the way the game went. It was tough conditions, very humid, very hot and they probably had most of the possession."

Bertos arrived back in Auckland yesterday with the rest of the New Zealand-based All Whites.

The game plan for the away leg had been to soak up the pressure and hope to catch the opposition on the break, "and we did that pretty well".

"They had a couple of really good chances, I suppose, one that hit the post as everyone saw and probably on any other occasion that might have gone in," he said.

"That's the type of luck we need in those sort of situations."

The second leg is in Wellington on November 14, with the winners of the tie heading to South Africa for the World Cup finals in June and July.

Bertos expects Bahrain to sit back a little more and rely on counter-attacking tactics at Westpac Stadium.

The All Whites, with home advantage, including the cooler weather, and needing a win to guarantee victory in the tie, would attempt to get forward more than they did in Manama.

"We'll have the crowd behind us and we just have to go at them," Bertos said.

"I'm sure we'll do that from the start of the game. The minimum result for us is a win. If we win, we go through, so we have to make sure we do."

However, the All Whites also know they cannot leave themselves exposed at the back as any score draw will mean Bahrain claiming the World Cup berth.

If the second leg also ends 0-0, there will be extra time and, if the contest is still scoreless, the tie will come down to a penalty shootout.

Bertos said it was an amazing feeling to know that he and his teammates stood just one match away taking New Zealand to the World Cup finals for only the second time in the event's 79-year history.

"Before the game at the weekend, we were thinking the 180-minutes sort of cliche - just two games away from making it," he said.

"Now we've narrowed it down to one. We're still in it and we're only one game away."

- NZPA