STUART Pearce admitted the pressure on his Great Britain side would reach another level on Wednesday after watching them set-up a sudden death Olympic clash with Uruguay.

Team GB beat UAE 3-1 at Wembley last night to go top of Group A at London 2012 and put themselves firmly on course for a quarter-final berth.

But despite a draw this week being enough to progress thanks to what was Britain's first win at an Olympic football tournament since 1960 - having not taken part for 52 years - Pearce, who lives in Shalbourne, near Marlborough, dubbed Uruguay favourites.

He said: "Every game's a cup final - it literally is - when you play group stage football.

"And then obviously the pressure goes up against one more notch. It's us or Uruguay come Wednesday evening."

Spain's shock exit last night showed nothing could be taken for granted, although it also boosted Britain's hopes of a medal.

Pearce refused to get carried away, saying: "I've not seen anything to suggest that any team that beats Brazil will not win the final.

"I don't think we've been consistently good enough to look beyond the next game."

The momentum behind Britain grew yesterday as 85,137 turned up at Wembley to watch their historic win.

They can expect a similar attendance at Cardiff's Millennium Stadium on Wednesday but maybe not a similar level of support judging by the lukewarm response in Wales to the very concept of Team GB.

Pearce said: "I've been absolutely delighted with the support we've had, certainly in numbers, at Manchester and at Wembley.

"I think that will continue again in Cardiff.

"I was told this is somewhere in the region of the biggest attendance of an Olympic football match there's ever been.

"That sends a message out straight away.

"We have to put a performance on that makes the crowds want to come time and time again if we can."