 Rob Earnshaw had a goal-bound effort cleared off the line |
Mark Hughes says his side's performance against Serbia & Montenegro deserved at least a point. Wales looked to be cruising to a draw which would have guaranteed a Euro 2004 play-off place.
But Dragan Mladenovic scored from 10 yards on his debut with 17 minutes to go to seal a home win.
"We put in a great performance this evening," Hughes told BBC Sport immediately after the final whistle.
"Sometimes you don't get the result the performance deserves, and that was the case tonight.
"I thought for long periods we controlled the game against a very good team.
"We restricted them to very few chances, a few long-range shots.
"For long periods we totally controlled the game, but they get a set-piece, get a break in the box - something we didn't get.
"On other occasions we may get those breaks, but tonight it wasn't to be unfortunately."
Wales have a two-point lead at the top of Group Nine over nearest rivals Italy.
The sides meet in Milan on 6 September in a match which will go long way towards determining who will finish top of the group.
And despite losing momentum by dropping their first points of the campaign against Serbia & Montenegro, Hughes remains positive about his side's qualification hopes.
"I have no fears for my players going to Milan," said Hughes. "We performed well here and we will go to Italy to do the same.
"I am confident of that, a few years ago a Wales team would not have been able to come to a place like Serbia and put up a performance like that.
"My players were outstanding, they gave everything, every one of them. But it is still in our own hands, we have come very, very close and can still finish top of the group.
"That is my aim and I believe we can still do it despite this set back."
MMIX
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It is still in our own hands, we have come very, very close and can still finish top of the group 
