Poland were left ruing missed chances against a battling Wales, who clung on at the end for a valuable draw.

But Wales will take heart from a tenacious midfield display with Robbie Savage and Gary Speed biting at Polish heels and offering support aplenty to their strikers.

Norway's shock 1-0 defeat by Ukraine also boosts the Welsh qualification cause and throws Group Five open.

Wales will look back proudly on a display which prevented a Polish win for the first time in the group so far.

Poland did come closest to scoring, though.

Centre forward Andrzej Juskowiak hit the top of the Welsh cross bar after latching on to a cross from Michal Zeklakov after 73 minutes.

Ten minutes before that Zeklakov blasted a free-kick inches over the bar from 25 yards out.

Wales had sustained a period of promising pressure just after half-time culminating in Gary Speed blasting over from the edge of the area off a John Hartson knock down.

Team spirit

The Newcastle man should have done better, but was hampered by his weaker right foot and pressure from the covering Zeklakov.

Speed again came close near the end, but Dudek was not really troubled by a looping header which he held at the angle of post and crossbar.

The Welsh response spoke highly for the team spirit in the camp as Poland should have scored within seconds of the restart.

Juskowiak ballooned over from ten yards as Wales looked sluggish coming out of the dressing rooms.

Great opportunity

Poland came close in the first-half as well, but Wales showed they are no longer a pushover at the highest international level.

Radoslaw Kaluzny, who scored a hat-trick against Belarus on Saturday, wasted a great opportunity on the half hour.

Jacek Krzynowek crossed from the left and Kaluzny rose unmarked on the six yard box, but headed wide.

Poland then enjoyed sustained pressure and Wales were saved from a telling through ball when Juskowiak's retreating heels got in the way.

But Wales survived a nervy start and Giggs and Hartson showed good movement up front.

Infamous petulance

Welsh tenacity and harrying restricted the Poles to stroking the ball around in front of the box and the frustration began to tell.

Robbie Savage's infamous petulance got the better of him after 26 minutes following a tangle with Piotr Swierczewski, who fouled the Leicester City man.

Savage was booked and will miss Wales' game against Armenia after taking a swipe at his opponent - and was lucky not to see red.

Wales had initially shocked their hosts as Nathan Blake charged across the area only to see his shot end up in keeper Dudek's arms in the first minute.

But after that, the persistence of Wales' battling midfield was enough to claim the point.

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Teams

Poland: Jerzy Dudek (Feyenoord), Tomasz Klos (Kaiserslautern), Jacek Zielinski (Legia Warsaw), Michal Zewlakow (Mouscron), Tomasz Waldoch (Schalke), Jacek Krzyn�wek (Nuremburg), Piotr Swierczewski (Bastia), Bartosz Karwan (Legia Warsaw), Andrzej Juskowiak (Wolfsburg), Radoslaw Kaluzny (Wisla Krakow), Radoslaw Gilewicz (Tirol Innsbruck)
Replacements: Adam Matysek (Leverkusen), Tomasz Zdebel, Tomasz Hajto (Schalke), Tomasz Iwan (PSV Eindhoven), Tomasz Rzasa (Feyenoord), Pawel Kryszalowicz (Amica Wronki), Jacek Bak (Olympique Lyonnais)

Wales: P Jones (Southampton), M Delaney (Aston Villa), C Coleman (Fulham), R Page (Watford), A Melville (Fulham), R Savage (Leicester), J Robinson (Charlton), J Hartson (Wimbledon), G Speed (Newcastle, capt), R Giggs (Manchester United), N Blake (Blackburn)

Referee : Lucillo Batista (Portugal)