Bermuda Football Association (BFA) president Larry Mussenden has declared an all-out football war on 2006 World Cup debutants Trinidad and Tobago.

The Island's national team defeated Cayman Islands 4-2 on aggregate in their opening World Cup qualifier to set up a June showdown with Caribbean Football Union (CFU) powerhouse Trinidad . . . but Mussenden is confident Bermuda can overcome that hurdle.

"On behalf of Bermuda, I'd like to say that Bermuda has declared football war on Trinidad and we call upon every resident of Bermuda to dig in and bring victory to this country," Mussenden said. "Because we recognise Trinidad is a powerhouse, we also recognise it's going to take the entire effort of the 60,000 population of Bermuda to get behind our country.

"I think everybody in Bermuda is happy the national team defeated Cayman Islands in order to advance to take on Trinidad. We know that Trinidad is going to be a tall order as they are a powerhouse of Caribbean football, having been to the World Cup in 2006. So for us, we have to properly prepare physically and mentally and I encourage the country to get behind our team and give them all the support they can."

Premier Ewart Brown also congratulated the national team after Sunday's 3-1 victory over the Caymans.

"I am proud of our team as they make their way back up the world's football ladder," commented Brown in a written press statement.

On the eve of Sunday's match, Brown made a friendly wager with the leader of Government Business for the Cayman Islands, Kurt Tibbetts. He said Bermuda would win the match by "at least three goals".

"Although my prediction of a three-goal victory fell short by one, we will be sending seedlings to the Cayman Government Leader (Tibbetts) so he can plant them near his office," Brown joked.

"Everyone knows the Bermudiana is a beautiful flower, but I expect the Government Leader may feel differently."

Bermuda will now lock horns with the Soca Warriors on June 15 in Trinidad and on June 22 at the National Sports Centre (NSC) where Mussenden has urged all local football fans to come out and get behind the 'Gombey Warriors'.

The BFA chief revealed plans were already in motion to have the national team play a series of international friendlies and embark on training camps both on local shores and abroad.

He said: "In order to prepare ourselves for Trinidad, the coaching staff have put forward for the consideration of the techncial committee and executive committee a series of friendly matches coinciding with some of the international match dates, as well as some training camps.

"These are some of the things we are now looking at and we already have some interest from some of the other Caribbean countries who are looking for competitive matches as they prepare for the World Cup. Once we lock down some of those details then we will release all of that information."