Four years after losing out to Trinidad and Tobago, Bahrain play New Zealand trying again to reach the FIFA World Cup for the first time.

The majority of Bahrain's 2005 squad remain key players for the Reds and those who suffered the agony of Germany 2006 qualification defeat last time will have extra motivation to beat the All Whites over two legs.

Of the 11 starters and seven substitutes who faced Dwight Yorke and co in Port of Spain in the first leg, 12 are in the squad for Saturday's AFC/OFC Play-off first leg, while defender Abdulla Marzooq will miss the match through suspension.

"You could see how upset the players and the fans were when they lost to Trinidad and Tobago four years ago," said Bahrain coach Milan Macala.

"We can't lose this opportunity again. I don't think the team can bear it, so they'll be more determined than ever. I'd like to see even more supporters on Saturday because we need them to be louder than ever before."

Marzooq, sent off in June's fourth-round win over Uzbekistan that secured third place in Group A and a spot in last month's AFC Play-off, is one of a host of Bahrain stars competing in their third straight World Cup qualifying campaign.

Record goalscorer Husain 'Pele' Ali, captain Mohamed Salmeen, fellow central midfielder Sayed Jalal and 'flying winger' Salman Isa are also among the stalwarts remaining from the famous 2001 campaign when the tiny Gulf nation reached Asia's final World Cup qualifying round for the first time.

Going one better, Mohamed Husain, a central defender for AFC Champions League semi-finalists Umm Salal of Qatar, is in his fourth World Cup campaign after playing in the preliminary qualifiers in 1997 before he and Jalal represented Bahrain in the FIFA U-17 World Cup in Egypt later that year.

Before the new millennium, Bahrain had only ever once been beyond the first World Cup qualifying round, when, in the quest for Mexico 86, withdrawals meant they needed only to beat South Yemen over two legs to reach the second stage.

Bahrain's fortunes transformed in 2000 as former Werder Bremen manager Wolfgang Sidka took charge and kick-started a miraculous rise to the top table of Asian football. The following year, the Reds topped Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan and Singapore to win Group Four and make their debut in the final qualifying round.

The smallest of the 10 nations gunning for Asia's additional two spots for Korea/Japan 2002, Bahrain surprisingly finished third ahead of Iraq and Thailand in Group A, as Saudi Arabia automatically qualified and Iran entered the play-offs (beating the UAE before losing to the Republic of Ireland).

The Reds consolidated their new-found confidence by finishing runners-up to Saudi Arabia in the Gulf Cup, which kicked off in Kuwait in December 2003.

Bahrain truly planted their flag at the 2004 AFC Asian Cup in China, where Srecko Juricic's charges led eventual champions Japan 3-2 in the semi-finals before conceding goals in the 90th and 93rd minutes. Striker Ala'a Hubail finished as the event's joint top scorer with Iran's Ali Karimi, netting five goals.

With Korea Republic and Japan back in the qualifying mix for the 2006 World Cup, Bahrain's third-place finish in Group B in the final round earned them an AFC Play-off against Uzbekistan, which they won on the away goals rule after drawing 1-1 away and 0-0 at home.

Facing CONCACAF representatives Trinidad and Tobago for a place in Germany, Salman Isa scored the opener in a 1-1 draw in the Port of Spain, but Luka Peruzovic's men agonisingly lost 1-0 at the National Stadium, where a claim for a late equaliser prompted chaotic scenes.

Macala was appointed ahead of the AFC Asian Cup in Southeast Asia in July 2007. However, Bahrain had a tough draw in their second appearance in the event and exited after losses to Group D hosts Indonesia and Saudi Arabia either side of a 2-1 win over Korea Republic.

Despite the coaching merry-go-round of the previous years, Macala stayed on and last year Bahrain reached the final round of World Cup qualifiers for the third successive time. Macala's men came third in Group A to secure a spot in last month's AFC Play-off against a Saudi side gunning for their fifth successive World Cup.

A scoreless draw at home followed by a nail-biting 2-2 draw in Riyadh means Bahrain again face one final intercontinental hurdle. Should they prevail, a place at the World Cup would crown a glorious decade of football for the island nation and be a special reward for the stalwarts who have tried so long to get them there.

AFC/OCF Play-off - 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa

10/10/2009 (18:30)         Bahrain v New Zealand, Bahrain National Stadium

14/11/2009 (20:00)         New Zealand v Bahrain, Westpac Stadium, Wellington