Giggs: Wales still in it

Ryan Giggs is refusing to abandon hope

Ryan Giggs is still holding on to his dream of qualifying for the 2002 World Cup.

Wales' task was made all the more difficult following Saturday's 2-1 defeat to Poland, a game in which Giggs spurned an open goal.

But he remained upbeat, saying: "If we had won that game we would have been in a strong position because other results went for us.

"Even so there is still a glimmer of hope."

It is about time we got that win under our belt

  Ryan Giggs

Poland look certain to win the group, with Belarus and Ukraine vying for second spot.

Wales remain seven and five points respectively behind their rivals and play Belarus at home in the final match of their campaign.

But Giggs remained confident that once Wales secure that first elusive competitve win under Mark Hughes a different team would emerge.

"It is about time we got that win under our belt," Giggs said.

"We have made progress, but once we get it we will start to go on a run of victories," he predicted.

Giggs was distraught after missing against Poland

And he urged Wales' long-suffering fans to be patient.

"We're nearly there - all we need is the result and when that happens we will see a team full of confidence and hard to beat," he said.

Giggs' bullishness will be tested to the full in Kiev, where a Ukraine side including Sergei Rebrov and Andrei Schevchenko will be favourite to triumph.

"We saw at the Millennium Stadium what good players they have and they are a good hard-working side," said Giggs.

"They will be very hard to beat."

Meanwhile Wales manager Mark Hughes is confident Aston Villa full-back Mark Delaney, who missed Saturday's match with a hamstring injury, will be fit for the game with Ukraine.

"We want to be careful with Mark because he is very important to us," Hughes said.

"If he needs the extra day to recover we will let him have it so that he is fit by Wednesday."