Oleksandr Zinchenko insisted Ukraine's win over Scotland will mean nothing if he and his team-mates cannot go on and beat Wales to qualify for the Qatar World Cup.
Zinchenko played a key role as Ukraine defeated Scotland 3-1 on Wednesday at Hampden Park in an emotional return to competitive action.
The World Cup qualifying play-off semi-final was delayed from March following Russia's invasion of Ukraine, which is still ongoing.
But goals from Andriy Yarmolenko, Raman Yaremchuk and Artem Dovbyk mean that only Wales stand in the way of Ukraine and a place in Qatar.
Manchester City utility man Zinchenko, though, knows the requirements are clear heading to Cardiff for Sunday's contest.
"Everyone knows the situation right now in Ukraine and every single game is like a final for us," he told Sky Sports.
"We have dreamed to be at the World Cup, so we have one more game, one more final and we need to win it, otherwise this game is not going to mean anything.
"It's going to be a massive game for us. Everyone understands the situation. Every one of us needs to show the best performance in our lives and then we'll see what's going to happen."
In his post-match news conference, Ukraine coach Oleksandr Petrakov said: "I have no emotion, I left my emotion on the pitch. This wasn't a win for us, it was for our country."
Ruslan Malinovskyi, the Atalanta midfielder, told beIN SPORTS: "This win for our people, our country, in a difficult period they are living.
"Also my parents, my brother, they are there in Ukraine and we just want it to finish and pray for our people that this war is finished as soon as possible.
"Now we are not playing for ourselves, we play for our whole country. Soldiers, also normal people, will follow [the Wales] game with their phone, on their TV.
"I think it will be a similar game. It will be a battle, the same, we need to play our game, be fast and be ready for the duels."
Cambridge earn much-needed Wycombe point to keep hopes of beating drop alive
Cambridge’s fight to stave off relegation will go down to the final day of the season after a 1-1 League One draw with Wycombe.
Victory would have seen the U’s safe with a game to spare and they looked on course to achieve that, only for Luke Leahy’s late penalty to deny them.
Cambridge travel to Port Vale on Saturday needing a point to secure their League One place.
Gassan Ahadme headed into the side netting early on before Wycombe chances saw Nigel Lonwijk heading onto the crossbar and Will Mannion save from Jason McCarthy at his near post.
Mannion then did well to tip Kieran Sadlier’s effort from distance onto the post.
Franco Ravizzoli denied Macauley Bonne from point-blank range after 66 minutes before Mannion turned Matt Butcher’s powerful shot wide.
Ahadme broke the deadlock for the hosts after 71 minutes with a thumping header from Liam Bennett’s excellent cross.
But seven minutes from time, Lyle Taylor brought down Lonwijk and Leahy equalised from the spot for a share of the spoils.
Cheltenham take survival fight to final day after beating Peterborough
Cheltenham kept their survival hopes alive going into the final day of the League One season after a 2-0 home win over promotion-chasing Peterborough.
First-half goals from Joe Nuttall and Matty Taylor took Town, in the final relegation place, two points behind Burton.
With their play-off spot already secured, Posh boss Darren Ferguson rested a host of regulars, making seven changes.
And his youthful side were blown away in the first half by the Robins, who knew anything other than a win meant relegation with one game to play.
Nuttall reacted quickest to bundle the ball over the line from close range after goalkeeper Nicholas Bilokapic could only parry Liam Sercombe’s shot in the 11th minute.
The lead was doubled 10 minutes later when Taylor brought down a ball forward from Lewis Freestone and applied an expert finish.
Taylor crashed a shot against the post in the 32nd minute after Liam Kinsella’s pass and Elliott Bonds forced Bilokapic into a smart save two minutes later.
Posh threatened through Ricky-Jade Jones before half-time, but they were second best and Taylor and Bonds both forced Bilokapic into evasive action in the second half.
At the other end, Luke Southwood parried Jonson Clarke-Harris’ shot in the 58th minute and kept out a late header from the centre forward.
Cheltenham must beat Stevenage on Saturday and hope that Burton fail to win at Fleetwood and or Cambridge lose to Port Vale, if they are to escape the drop.
Colchester still in relegation danger as Doncaster march on towards play-offs
Doncaster recorded a 10th successive victory, 4-1 at lowly Colchester, to move into the League Two play-off places.
Colchester took a ninth-minute lead through Jayden Fevrier, who converted at the far post after Tom Hopper had got behind the Doncaster defence and picked him out.
But Doncaster equalised five minutes later when Luke Molyneux collected Jamie Sterry’s short free-kick and unleashed a low left-foot shot from 25 yards that sailed into the far corner.
Rovers completed a rapid turnaround in the 22nd minute through Harrison Biggins, who swept home from close range after Molyneux had beaten Ellis Iandolo and crossed into the area.
Doncaster extended their lead in the 76th minute when Tom Anderson squeezed a shot past Sam Hornby and in at the near post after Hakeeb Adelakun had picked him out from another short free-kick.
And Rovers sealed their victory in the 85th minute when Joe Ironside tapped in from close range after James Maxwell’s shot had been tipped onto a post by Hornby.
The result prevented Colchester securing their survival, ensuring they go into the final fixtures three points ahead of Sutton and now only four better on goal difference.
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