Hughes tips hat to draw

Up against a team only beaten once in their capital city in qualifiers and having not qualified for a major tournament for the better part of five decades, Wales were clear outsiders in Russia.

Defensive discipline
Yet despite being depleted by injury, the visitors drew the first leg of their UEFA EURO 2004™ play-off with a performance of defensive discipline and strategic maturity against a Russian side whose scoring feats at home in Group 10 made the Welsh clean sheet even more creditable.

High energy
"I was very pleased with the performance of my team," Wales manager Mark Hughes said after the game. "Our levels of energy were very high, and we were able to maintain them for the whole 94 minutes. We withstood pressure in the first half and again in the second so we restricted the Russians to few scoring chances."

Vital saves
Indeed, although Paul Jones did make vital saves from Aleksei Smertin and Marat Izmailov, Russia never were able to have as many clear-cut efforts as their long periods of territorial dominance seemed to merit. Caretaker coach Georgi Yartsev, who since being appointed in August had masterminded Russia's run to this stage, admitted that he was "disappointed with the result, but not the level of performance", and that the visitors had won the tactical match-up.

Yartsev's praise
"I am sure that the result was what the Welsh team were looking for," Yartsev said. "A draw is good for them especially with the second match being held in Cardiff. I was surprised by their discipline - it was really great. They were really great in defence although their attacking style did not show up here. But I think Ryan Giggs is a really good player."

Russian flair
Left-winger Giggs, and Jason Koumas on the right, were the main Welsh counterattacking threat, but both were prepared to track back to help their defence, as were their three colleagues in the midfield five, leaving lone striker John Hartson a singular, foraging figure up front. Dmitri Loskov, Dmitri Sytchev and substitute Rolan Gusev all showed flair for Russia, but Dmitri Bulykin did not have the same finishing touch he showed with his hat-trick against Switzerland.

Suspended duo
So the focus now is Wednesday night's second leg at Cardiff's sold-out Millennium Stadium, an inspirational home to Wales since their bow there in 2000. Bookings for Russian goalkeeper Sergei Ovchinnikov and experienced midfield player Aleksandr Mostovoi mean both will be suspended for that tie, but Hughes is remaining cautious.

'Good position'
"It is only half-time," he said. "We have a good position now but there is a lot of very hard work to come and Russia will be very dangerous in Cardiff. With three players missing I said that those who came in to the team could make heroes of themselves. And that is what happened."

No more false dawns
Hughes then concluded by remembering how close Wales have come before to breaking their barren qualification run - such as in 1977, 1985 and 1993 - only to fall just short. "We have had false dawns in the past," he said. "We do not want any more glorious failures. It is time for Welsh football to take the final step and qualify to a major finals."