Bahrain were trailing 1-0 when they were awarded a glorious chance to level matters in the early stages of the second half.

Sayed Adnan stepped up to take the penalty but Paston guessed right and Westpac Stadium erupted.

"Apparently they were trying to get a message to me from the sidelines," said Paston. "It did not get through to me. I just guessed."

Herbert said he was unsighted for the penalty. "I did not really see it and you kind of cop it. I won't bother looking at it to be honest now," said the New Zealand boss.

"We kind of had a little bit on how  they might do with the penalties, but it is up to the big fella to make the call and if he needs to do one next week for the club he better do that too."

"He (Adnan) did not have the best penalty and I went the right way and it stuck," said Paston.

During the week Paston did some preparation for a possible penalty shootout, but he didn't expect to have to make one during the match. "I thought it would be at the end of the game and not in the middle," he added.

"We took a few in the week, but I always believe it is very much different than under those sort of circumstances and that amount of pressure. The only thing you can do is put them off and make them wait a little longer."

With thanks to Nick Guoth at Westpac Stadium.