after yesterday's second round draw here at CONCACAF headquarters.

An ideal situation was presented as Bermuda will play their first two matches at the National Stadium, starting October 1, and wrap up the four-nation round robin there as well -- the match against group B favourites Canada on December 6 expected to determine the country's fate in soccer's biggest spectacle.

Bermuda are matched against Canada, who as finalists in 1986 in Mexico received a bye to this stage, El Salvador and Jamaica.

El Salvador are Bermuda's first opponents on Sunday, October 18, to be followed by Jamaica on October 25. Then the national team will play the away segments of this round on successive Sundays, starting on November 15.

The stage will then be set for Bermuda to host the Canadians on the final qualifying weekend with a place in the third round -- the last qualifying stage -- up for grabs.

Mexico are favourites in Group A, the draw for which will be held on September 4. Costa Rica, who created a stir in the 1990 finals, are also expected to be there, once they have seen off neighbours Panama.

"I'm quite pleased that we got the first two matches at home,'' said Allan Peacock, chairman of the BFA's International Competitions Committee, who was present at the draw with honorary vice-president and current director of the BFA Dr. Gerard Bean. "We'll be playing El Salvador first followed by Jamaica a week later, so that's a good start for the team.'' Peacock said that the negotiation table was quite amicable and the draw was made in a way to spare travel expenses.

Bermuda and Jamaica will play their away matches all in one trip and that will cut air fare significantly.

We were very keen to play the away match against Jamaica and El Salvador over the same period and the way the fixtures have worked out we had to add Canada on to the away matches too.

"So we've got three away matches in a row and we'll have to look into the possibilities of keeping the team together for that period. If we're in contention, that last match at home against Canada is going to be a very exciting one.'' Bermuda are now in a position where several of the national team players are on professional contracts or have been invited to trials, which could have kept them in the right frame of mind.

The most celebrated performer, Shawn Goater, picked up where he left off for promoted Rotherham United when he scored in their season-opening 2-0 win at Exeter, a hard ground to leave with maximum points.

Bermuda captain Meshach Wade started in Third Division Hereford United's 1-1 draw at home to Scarborough, who have signed PHC goal poacher Kyle Lightbourne to a six-month trial. Lightbourne is currently in Bermuda awaiting a work permit.

Lightbourne, who struck 31 league and cup goals last season, was one of the players who gave an enlivened performance at the stadium when Bermuda clinched their place in the second round with a 2-1 second-leg defeat over Antigua, perhaps the team's finest effort under the guidance of coach Gary Darrell.

Bermuda won the tie 5-1 on aggregate after a surprisingly easy 3-0 win in Antigua set up the home match, as well as the ever sceptical local fans.

The preliminary round was more gut-wrenching as Bermuda held on desperately in Port-au-Prince for the final 30 minutes before defeating Haiti on the away goals rule. Bermuda won 1-0 at home and lost 2-1 away.

El Salvador gained a comfortable passage to this stage by way of Nicaragua, winning 5-0 and 5-1. But the big surprises are Jamaica, who upset Trinidad and Tobago.

The Trinidadians, who were a goal away from qualifying for the last World Cup, never recovered from losing 2-1 at home. And after going further behind last weekend in Kingston not even Aston Villa striker Dwight York could reverse their fortunes. The match was drawn 1-1 and Jamaica won 3-2 overall.

Bermuda most recently have played Jamaica, drawing 1-1 here and scoreless there -- both times withouit the services of Goater.

MESCHACH WADE -- The Hereford pro is expected to play an important part in Bermuda's World Cup challenge, as they take on the might of Canada, Jamaica and El Salvador in a gruelling schedule of qualifying matches over the coming months.