The Scottish ladies' team face a real struggle in their European Championship qualifying play-off second leg after their narrow defeat yesterday.

The Scottish ladies' team face a real struggle in their European Championship qualifying play-off second leg after their narrow defeat yesterday.

Russia came from behind twice to claim victory as a record crowd came to watch the home side attempt to reach Euro 2009 in Finland. And it had started so brightly for the Scots, as a Joanne Love cross was not dealt with by the Russian defence and Pauline Hamill turned the ball home. Russia got back level minutes later through Olesya Kurochkina, but a brilliant Hamill free-kick had Scotland ahead again inside 12 minutes.

The run of play belied the 11-place difference in rankings between the sides. What upset Anna Signeul, the Scotland manager, was that when Russia got level again, this time with a Natalia Mokshanova penalty, the Scots ladies' gave their opponents too much time and space. "After the penalty we showed them too much respect, we dropped back to our own box and made it difficult for ourselves," she said.

Russia made the most of the extra room and it was all too easy for Natalia Barbashina in the 65th minute when she held off three challenges before despatching the ball past Gemma Fay, the home goalkeeper, for the winner.

In the second leg on Thursday, Signeul knows they will have to take risks if they are to progress. "As I see it, we are going to have to take a chance in the return leg and play with a high defence," she said. "In our attacking third we were really strong, and that is where we will have to play in Russia."

What will be a great boost for the trip to Krasnoarmeysk will be the return of record-scorer Julie Fleeting, who was suspended for yesterday's match. The Arsenal Ladies' striker has scored 107 goals in 105 internationals, and will be supported very capably by Hamill, who reckons Scotland can still get to Finland.

"We are only 90 minutes away, we will have to give everything, but we want to be in the finals and still believe we can get there," she said. "Having Julie back is a real bonus."