Must win

Two years ago, Speed scored in a comfortable 2-0 win in Baku in a Euro 2004 qualifier. Speed scored again yesterday, only his seventh goal in 82 internationals, but it was not enough to subdue the Azeri, who grabbed a point in a 1-1 draw.

And the captain wants a big improvement on Wednesday when Northern Ireland arrive at the Millennium Stadium for another Group Six match.

Speed said: "Northern Ireland have had a bad result losing to Poland but their recent results have shown that they are becoming a much better team and hard to beat.

"But we have goalscorers, we must win our home games and it is something we are very conscious of. It starts on Wednesday.

"It will be a real cracker, against players we all know. But we mustn't worry too much about them, it is our performance that needs improving and we are determined to do that."

He added: "We are disappointed, we knew it was going to be hard but we know they have improved as a team and they showed that. But overall we were upset with the way we played. If we'd had played anything like we can, we would have won the game.

"The consolation is we were not beaten and a draw anywhere away from home in internationals these days is a huge boost. Now we need three points on Wednesday, it is as simple as that."

Speed thought he had put Wales on the way to a morale-boosting victory with his stab home from six yards.

He said: "We tried to pass the ball comfortably in the first half and didn't manage it but we improved after the break, and then my goal came along which was created by a great knock-down by John Hartson. He did all the hard work, all I had to do was knock it in from a few yards.

"Their goal was disappointing. But it was a long way out and it did move a lot in the air. It is just one of those things. It happens.

"It's not all doom and gloom. We did ear-mark three points from this one but we didn't lose and what we do know is that we must improve our overall performance. In some ways it is good that we have had that underlined for us straight away.

"Azerbaijan can make things difficult, but I frankly cannot see England being troubled too much by them."

The debate over whether boss Mark Hughes waited too long to introduce West Brom's new £3.5m striker Robert Earnshaw will no doubt be conducted between now and Wednesday.

Earnshaw was clearly desperate to get into the action after seven goals in 13 internationals, but he only managed five minutes.

Even then he almost scored with a diving header that was deflected on to a post and said: "I really thought I had done it. I got a good connection with the header and their 'keeper was nowhere near it when I touched the ball, but somehow he got across to make a wonderful save.

"It was a big disappointment because I thought I had won the game."

l Ben Thatcher today rejoined his Wales team-mates and was declared ready for World Cup action as boss Mark Hughes stepped up his preparations for Wednesday's group six qualifying clash with Northern Ireland in Cardiff.

The Manchester City full-back missed the 1-1 draw in Azerbaijan with a hamstring problem and a throat infection.

Hughes did not want Thatcher to be mixing with the rest of his players during the build-up for the match in Baku, because of fears that others could also be struck down by illness.

But Thatcher arrived at Wales' Cardiff training base just hours after the squad returned overnight from central Asia.

An FA of Wales spokesman said: "Ben is fit and ready for action, he has recovered from his problems and is available for selection."