Gareth Bale trains for 'biggest match in Welsh history' in play-off against Ukraine

Winners of Sunday's match will claim Europe's last place for 2022 World Cup in Qatar

Wales' Gareth Bale during training for the World Cup qualifier against Ukraine in Hensol on Saturday, June 4, 2022. Reuters

Wales' Ethan Ampadu during training. Reuters

Gareth Bale during Wales' training session at The Vale Resort, Hensol. PA

Gareth Bale trains with Wales team. Reuters

Players share a joke during Wales' training session at The Vale Resort, Hensol. PA

Players during a training session at The Vale Resort, Hensol. PA

Wales' Gareth Bale during training on Saturday. Reuters

Wales' Jonny Williams, Harry Wilson and Kieffer Moore during training. Reuters

Wales' Harry Wilson with teammates during training. Reuters

Gareth Bale and his Wales teammates looked relaxed during training on Saturday, but the pressure will be on ahead of the all-important 2022 World Cup play-off final against Ukraine.

Winners of Sunday's match at the Cardiff City Stadium will claim Europe's last place for the showpiece event in Qatar later this year.

Wales have not reached a World Cup since 1958 and manager Rob Page has described the Ukraine clash as "the biggest match in Welsh history".

It will be an equally significant day for Ukraine, who made their war-torn nation proud by beating Scotland in their first competitive clash since Russia's invasion and now are a step away from glory.

"We played for those who fight in trenches. We played for Ukrainians who suffer every day," said Ukraine coach Oleksandr Petrakov after his side beat Scotland 3-1 in Glasgow on Wednesday.

"We still have the Wales game in front of us. We will do everything to make Ukrainians proud."

Their opponents on Sunday beat Austria in their play-off semi-final three months ago after Gareth Bale's brilliant double. That allowed them to name a second-string side for their 2-1 Nations League loss to Poland on Wednesday.

Bale and Aaron Ramsey were among the key players given a break to keep them fresh for Sunday.

"We are well aware of the situation that Ukraine is in right now, and it must be incredibly tough to be in their shoes," said Tottenham defender Ben Davies.

"We know it will be an emotional event and a lot of people will be wanting some good news for Ukraine, but we have to try and stay out of that and focus on 90 minutes of football."

The Welsh will be wary of their head-to-head record. Wales have failed to record a win in three games against Ukraine, drawing two and losing one. The two nations first met in qualification for the 2002 World Cup. John Hartson give Wales a 12th-minute lead in their maiden meeting at Cardiff in March 2001. But Andriy Shevchenko equalised in the second half.

The return game in Kyiv just over two months later produced another 1-1 draw, with Mark Pembridge cancelling out Hennadiy Zubov's first-half strike. Ukraine won a March 2016 friendly in Kyiv 1-0, with Andriy Yarmolenko scoring the winner.