AS if Wales needed any more fire tonight.

Beware a wounded animal. The underhanded Russians have tried every trick in the book to unsettle and unnerve Mark Hughes' Euro 2004 play-off pretenders.

But I've never seen a group of players more determined to win a game of football than the current Welsh squad.

Wales' players are spitting blood about Russia's dirty tricks and the Ryan Giggs elbow row has left a sour taste in the mouth.

Gary Speed and co will unleash the full wrath of their anger in tonight's Euro 2004 play-off second-leg in a Millennium Stadium overflowing with Welsh pride and seething with Russian revenge.

The theatrical dives and the sinister tactics employed by Georgi Yartsev's men could backfire on them in dramatic fashion.

It's not often when you hear players talking so bluntly ahead of such a monumental match than tonight's showdown in the Cardiff cauldron.

Cue defender Mark Delaney, saying: "No-one is going to stop us now. Their behaviour has given us that extra spur.

"We won't resort to their tactics, we want to win the right way.

"We've been given an extra push by their unacceptable conduct and, with the rewards ahead, I can't see any other result than us winning."

Wales are angered, make no mistake. Their potential match-winners want to blow the Russians out of sight.

No, it's not just a revenge mission for the raging Welshmen. Qualification for the European Championship finals is the prize. It doesn't come much bigger than that.

The Giggs affair was a last-ditch attempt by the malicious former Soviet state to rattle the Welsh. It has, but not how Yartsev and his Russian rebels had intended.

Wales were ready to finish the job they started so well in Moscow before this Giggs rumpus was dragged up. Now the ill-feeling has reached fever pitch.

But Wales should not, and I'm sure will not, get too overheated and vent their anger in illegal ways.

They need to remain calm and keep disciplined. The goalless scoreline in the chill of the Lokomtiv Stadium was a great result thanks to a gritty performance.

Now the job needs the finishing touch.

This is it. The rollercoaster ride of Euro 2004 qualification comes down to 90 minutes.

Club v country wrangles, four-day rulings, injury problems, racist abuse and now Russia's unsportsman like behaviour. Problems have stacked up against Wales and Hughes on the road to Portugal, so that is why qualification would mean so much for players and fans alike.

Remember Russia are without suspended pair Alexander Mostovoi and Sergei Ovchinnikov. Mostovoi, the Celta Vigo playmaker, is a big loss for Russia as he opens doors while Lokomotiv Moscow goalkeeper Ovchinnikov's absence paves the way for the untried Vlacheslav Malafeev or Igor Akinfeev, the latter is only 17-and-a-half years old.

Sure, Wales are definitely without striker Craig Bellamy (knee), centre-back Rob Page (ankle) plus midfield duo Simon Davies (thigh) and Mark Pembridge (calf) but their reinforcements did the really hard work on Saturday.

Tonight, it'll be a different kind of approach. It's attack, attack, attack - making sure they don't fall asleep at the back.

Robert Earnshaw is set to start in his most dangerous role alongside John Hartson with a midfield quartet of Jason Koumas, skipper Gary Speed, Robbie Savage and Giggs, eager to show his real clout.

Hughes knows he has to go for the jugular, three goals in five internationals isn't a great record so livewire Earnshaw, who has already plundered 20 goals for Cardiff City this season, is an almost certain starter.

The World Cup of 1958 is a world away. Now this is Wales' real chance to rewrite history and make up for all those years of major championships finals hurt. They won't have a better chance

Wales: (4-4-1-1) P Jones (Southampton); M Delaney (Aston Villa), D Gabbidon (Cardiff City), A Melville (Fulham), D Barnard (Grimsby Town); J Koumas (West Brom), R Savage (Birmingham City), G Speed (captain, Newcastle United), R Giggs (Manchester United); R Earnshaw (Cardiff City); J Hartson (Celtic)