Wales vs Ukraine: FIFA World Cup 2022 Qualifiers starting lineups, team news

The winner of the Qualifier final play-off will seal a spot at Qatar 2022 in Group B, alongside England, Iran and the United States of America.

Gareth Bale, the 32-year-old who did not play in Wales' previous match against Poland, is available and is expected to start against Ukraine.

Only one team of the 13 remains to qualify for the FIFA World Cup 2022 from Europe with Wales and Ukraine set to play for the same in the playoff final in Cardiff.

Follow the match live here:

Wales has not played in a World Cup since 1958, while Ukraine last featured in the tournament 16 years ago. If Wales manages to secure qualification in the World Cup, it will break the record for the longest gap between two world cup appearances (64 years).

Ukraine, on the other hand, has a different story to tell. The country, ravaged by war and invasion by Russia found hope in strange places with a briliiant win against Scotland in the semifnal playoffs.

The win was welcomed by the entire country, with the President Oleksandr Zelinskyy calling it "two hours of happiness".

But its job is half done with the final against Wales becoming the be-all and end-all for the Oleksandr Petrakov's men, where a win wil not only be a win for Ukraine, but it will seal its position in the 2022 World Cup in Group B, where England, Iran and the United States of America await them.

The teams have met thrice before and last met in competitive fixture 21 years ago for the 2002 World Cup, one where neither had qualified for the tournament finals.

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Team News

Gareth Bale, the 32-year-old who did not play in Wales' previous match against Poland, is back and available along with Ben Davies.

Joe Morrell returns from suspension while Joe Rodon is expected to start in defence.

Ukraine has the whole squad available after the win against Scotland and may start an unchanged eleven against Wales in Cardiff.

Players to watch out for:

Gareth Bale, Wales: The captain of Wales led from the front in the previous World Cup Qualifier against Austria with a brace, including a stunning free kick-goal. He is currently the country's leading goalscorer.

Andriy Yarmolenko, Ukraine: When Ukraine beat Wales six years ago, it was Yarmolenko who had found the net. The 32-year old has remained a consistent forward for the side and scored a goal in the last match against Scotland as well.

What a performance pic.twitter.com/wDvyyYHLVW

— FIFA World Cup (@FIFAWorldCup) June 1, 2022

With 45 international goals, he sits just three short of Andriy Shevchenko's goal tally, the highest goalscorer for Ukraine.

Predicted Lineups:

When and where to watch the FIFA World Cup playoff final?