Memory of Russia spurs Scotland's women on in Spain ANNA Signeul, the Scottish coach, and her players will never forget losing out to Russia on away goals in the play-off for Euro 2009, but tonight on the outskirts of Madrid they have another chance to reach their first major championship finals. Spain, who are the seeded side, remain the favourites to qualify for the 2013 tournament in Sweden next summer, but confidence is genuinely high in the Scottish camp despite Saturday's 1-1 draw in the first leg at Hampden. Signeul believes that the result has kept the door wide open, and certainly more so than the 3-2 defeat by the Russians at Tynecastle four years ago which even a 2-1 win in Nalchik couldn't overcome. "Home and away games in a play-off are not like group matches," she pointed out. Of course you want to win at home, but at the same time you have to make sure you don't lose. We'll take the 1-1. This game is easier because we know exactly what we have to do. We know that one goal is enough for us if they don't score. The squad hope that some of Real Madrid's aura will rub off on them, having visited the Bernabeu and its museum yesterday morning. Tonight's venue could not be more different, a 1300-seater stadium at the Spanish Football Federation's headquarters in Las Rozas, outside Madrid. The players trained on the pitch for the first time last night and although happy with the playing surface, Signeul does not believe it is a suitable venue for such a match. It's a training stadium - and I don't think a European Championship play-off match should be played in a training stadium. It's a pity," she said. Although disappointed, Signeul said it was a major improvement on the conditions her side had faced when they travelled to Nalchik for the second leg of the play-off four years ago. "It's a total contrast," she said. We went to a very hostile city and we couldn't go out of the hotel without being accompanied by police. We played in front of 15,000 men and when we walked out of the dressing room there were soldiers standing with rifles. They were standing all around the pitch as well. The task facing the Scots tonight is underlined by Spain's result against Euro champions Germany in a group match last December. Two late goals earned Spain a 2-2 draw. It was the first time since 1999 that the Germans had failed to win a European Championship group or finals game. Signeul, however, has faith in her charges: "The way our players applied themselves in the first leg was fantastic, as was their discipline. We have a very young team, but so many of them act maturely. I also think our team are fitter. Some of their players, especially in midfield, were struggling towards the end on the big pitch at Hamdpen.