PANAMA CITY, Panama  (CMC) — Head coach Dennis Lawrence said Trinidad and Tobago were remaining upbeat despite a negative run that has left them on the brink of elimination from the CONCACAF final round 2018 World Cup qualifying competition.

The Caribbean side have lost their last four games on the trot and are in desperate need of a victory when they take on Panama at the Estadio Rommel Fernández at 9 pm here Tuesday, in order to keep alive their already slim hopes of finishing in the top four.

T&T are coming off a 2-1 defeat to Honduras in Port of Spain last Friday but head coach Dennis Lawrence said the side were remaining upbeat despite the negative results.

“We have no choice but to be positive and to take the right approach to this match, which is to go out and play for three points,” Lawrence said.

“Obviously we are not in the best of positions on the table but once we are mathematically in with a chance which we are at the moment then we have to give it everything and pull ourselves together to try and get what is required.”

T&T lie bottom of the six-team standings on three points — garnered from a 1-0 win over Panama in Port of Spain last March.

They have lost six games, however, and with time running out in the competition, have only a slim mathematical chance of progressing.

Team confidence remains high, however, and midfielder Kevan George said they were still very hopeful of turning their campaign around.

“We as a team haven’t given up on anything. Regardless of the all the negative reports, there is still a positive mood in the camp,” George said.

“Obviously after a loss like Friday, people are saying all sorts of things about the squad and the Football Association but this is expected when the results are not going your way.

“What I can say is we remain a team and we want to make the country proud and we know how important it is for us to do something positive to boost the FA and football overall in the country. These are the times when we have to stick together and fight it out.”

T&T arrived here on Sunday night and trained on Monday night ahead of Tuesday’s game.