Saudi Arabia – Ukraine

1. Oleg Blokhin will be hoping star striker Andriy Shevchenko can re-discover his magic touch and kick-start Ukraine's World Cup campaign following theit disastrous drubbing at the hands of Spain.

2. They will have to do so withough suspended defender Vladislav Vaschuk, harshly red-carded in that game. Saudi Arabia will have to do without midfielder Mohammed Al-Shalhoub who has flown home to be with his sick Mother. They will be hoping to go one better than their last game against Tunisia when they were denied victory by a last minute equaliser. Ex-Wolves striker Sami Al-Jaber could be their main man again this time.

3. Hamburg looks overcast and the temperature is in the seventies which will certainly suit Ukraine more than the Saudis today.

4. Saudi Arabia kick the game off and immediately concede a daft throw-in.

5. 1'

   Ukraine come down the right and Rebrov's (remember him?)cross is turned away by the Saudi defence.

6. 2'

   GOAL

7. 2'

   Ukraine score from a corner. A ball to the near post is hit in by the knee of Voget. Far from the classiest goal we will see in the tournament but the Ukrainians will not care about that.

8. 6'

   Shevchenko is pushed in the back and Graham Poll gives the free-ick.

9. 8'

   Rebrov tries a run down the right and but his path is blocked. Ukraine still have the ball though and are able to come once more. This time Rebrov's cross is taken by Zaid.

10. 11'

    Fine surging run by Gusev is blocked for a corner which is headed behind for another. This scenario is repeated once more.

11. 12'

    The third one comes over and a firm header from Shevchenko is blocked on the line. The rebound goes behind but Ukraine are looking up for it.

12. 13'

    Rebrov is linking up well with his old strike partner Shevchenko and it could be a difficult afternoon for these Saudi defenders.

13. 15'

    Saudi Arabia have a free-kick just inside Ukraine's half. They don't get much further than that and Ukraine deal easily with their attempts at an attack.

14. 16'

    Shevchenko nearly gets on the end of a ball through the middle but does not get to the ball in time. Nice touch from Graham Poll to divert it in to his path though.

15. 18'

    Saudi have a throw which goes in to Ukraine's penalty area. Shelayev fails to take control of the ball though with an abysmal first touch and the ball is hoofed away.

16. 20'

    Rebrov once more finds room on the right to get a decent cross in but Saudi manage to deal with this one. The ball eventually breaks to Shevchenko whose shot from the edge of the penalty area is straight at Zaid. You get the feeling he will score today.

17. 21'

    Voronin is almost found by Shevchenko's through ball. He would have been in on goal with just the keeper to beat there.

18. 22'

    Nesmachiny is rightly booked for a pretty bad foul.

19. 23'

    Saudi look to get things going and gain a rather fortuitous corner when it comes off the knee of Rusol. No matter as when the ball comes over it is met by Al Montashari who shoots wide from five yards.

20. 25'

    Ukraine look to have ear-marked the left side of the Saudi defence as an area to focus their attacks today. This time though they approach from the other side and get the ball in to Voronin who hits a decent shot from twenty-five yards which whizzes past Zaid's post.

21. 27'

    At the other end Dokhi gets up and has a go from about the same distance but his shot is way off target.

22. 28'

    Voronin is challenged deep in Saudi territory and Ukraine have a throw-in.

23. 29'

    They play the ball in to the box but Montashari is able to get it back to his keeper without Ukraine getting a decent look at goal.

24. 30'

    The president of Ukraine, amongst others, has been involved in the debate about Shevchenko's contribution to the cause. Seems a bit harsh after one game but he looks sharp today.

25. 31'

    Saudi string three passes together but can manage no more as Ukraine block their advance in midfield.

26. 33'

    Nesmachniy comes down the left flank but his cross flies straight in to the welcoming arms of Zaid.

27. 34'

    Rebrov feeds Voronin in the box. He has his back to goal so returns it to the ex-Spurs man whose shot is weak and wide.

28. 35'

    GOAL

29. 35'

    Zaid totally stranded as Rebrov lets fly from twenty-five yards out and the ball nestles in the keeper's top corner. Yet another long-range goal in this World Cup looks to have done for Saudi's chances in this game. The bonus could be on hold.

30. 38'

    Saudi will more than likely be looking to their veteran striker Sami Al Jaber to dig them out of the hole they currently find themselves in. Expect some changes at half-time.

31. 39'

    Nesmachniy is felled by Dokhi and the Saudi is about to be booked despite having seemingly injured himself (as well as the Ukrainian) in the process.

32. 41'

    Al-Ghandi concedes a corner and is spoken to by the referee for back-chat. Zaid then punches a ball he should have caught before Rebrov has another go from distance but with no luck.

33. 43'

    Ukraine build from the back and, after a long ball up the field, Voronin nearly pounces on a slip from Al-Montashari who gifts him the ball just inside the penalty area. His low skidding shot goes wide when he should have hit the target though.

34. 44'

    A nice move from Ukraine ends with Kalinichenko receiving the ball in the Saudi penalty box but not being able to provide a decent finishing touch.

35. 45'

    Shevchenko and then Rebrov try to find a way though the middle of the Saudi defence but the door is shut and that is it for this half.

36. 45'

    HALF TIME

37. 45'

    Ukraine look like a different side in this game. Then again, Saudi Arabia are a different side. It would seem unlikely there is a way back in to this match for Marcos Paqueta's team and if Ukraine get an early goal it will all be over.

38. 45'

    Ukraine get things underway again and will be looking to cement the three points here and turn their thoughts to the final game against Tunisia.

39. 46'

    GOAL

40. 46'

    Which they can start to do. A fine cross in from a free-kick by Kalinichenko finds the deadly head of Shevchenko who shows his quality to dart home a header from six yards out. It's a case of how many now.

41. 48'

    Another free-kick, this time from the right, by Kalinichenko seeks out Rebrov and Shevchenko but the Saudis are quicker to the ball this time.

42. 49'

    Shevchenko chases a ball but it skids away from him and the hesitant figure of Zaid is able to get it away.

43. 51'

    Ukraine still need to score one more to get back their goal difference to zero after that four nil defeat to Spain. They don't quite manage it there with a weak shot from Gusev.

44. 52'

    Kalinichenko sizes up another free-kick but this time his delivery is poor and far too long. Goal-kick for the Saudis.

45. 53'

    Mohammedd Ameen is off and Malek Mouath replaces him. The defender Dokhi then makes way for Abdulaziz Khathran.

46. 55'

    A decent move down the right ends when Al Ghamdi dives when the nearest Ukraine defender was nowhere near him. Graham Poll brandishes a yellow card in his direction for a terrible piece of play-acting.

47. 56'

    Gusev tries to get Shevchenko involved. His pass misses the Chelsea man but not Mabrouk Zaid.

48. 58'

    Saudi Arabia's next game is against the group favorites Spain and you would have to fancy the chances of Ukraine progressing from this group with Luis Aragones team now.

49. 59'

    Voronin flights a ball over towards Rebrov but Al Ghamdi, managing to stay upright, heads it away for a throw.

50. 60'

    Noor plays an inviting ball in towards Al Hawsawi but he is unable to get to the ball in time. Saudi Arabia are not making use of any of the half-chances that are coming their way.

51. 62'

    This time the Sauids hit a high ball in and win a corner. When it is delivered, Shovkosky shows the correct way for a keeper to use his fist and the danger is cleared.

52. 63'

    Kalinichenko, finding room in the Saudi penalty area, hits a cracking shot which just clips the top of the Saudi bar. He is having a superb game today.

53. 64'

    Zaid comes for a ball and can't keep hold of it afer crashing in to Voronin, who was brave to challenge for the header. The Ukrainian looks a bit dazed but is now up and running. Zaid is sill laid out on the floor and Saudi Arabia may hope he remains there for the duration of this game.

54. 65'

    Zaid is back on his feet though and the veteran substitute keeper Al Daeyea trudges back to the bench.

55. 67'

    Rebrov cushions a lovely header in to the path of Shevchenko who, from eight yards out, is uanble to find the time to turn and shoot.

56. 70'

    Right-sided midfielder Ruslan Rotan comes on in place for Rebrov who has had a fine game today.

57. 72'

    Some nice inter-play from Ukraine on the edge of the Saudi penalty box ends when Voronin shoots wide.

58. 73'

    Rotan's first meaningful contribution is a decent ball in from the right which is cleared by the Saudis.

59. 74'

    Shevchenko fouled by Khairi who is warned by Graham Poll. Shevchenko then wastefully hits the free-kick against the base of the three man wall.

60. 75'

    Sami Al-Jaber is lacing his boots and if he is to have any impact on this result you are about to witness one of the all-time World Cup stories. He replaces Noor. Just before that Kalinichenko was foolishly booked for a foul.

61. 78'

    Voronin is unable to get on the end of a pass from midfield and is now withdrawn to make way for Andriy Gusin.

62. 82'

    The Saudis have shown little of the spirit they managed to conjur in the second half against Tunisia and they have been unable to fashion a single chance of note in this game.

63. 82'

    Just when they had a chance to get their big defenders up for a free-kick they waste the opportunity by taking it quickly and making a hash of it. Cue recriminations amongst the Saudi team.

64. 83'

    GOAL

65. 83'

    The Saudis lose it in midfield and Shevchenko darts in to the box before squaring it to Kalinichenko who taps home from close-range for a goal his performance thoroughly deserves.

66. 84'

    Shevchenko is now withdrawn for Artem Milevskiy, who wins his first cap.

67. 86'

    Nice link-up play down the left from Ukraine gives Rotan an opening but his shot goes straight at Zaid. Soon after, Milevskiy produces a clear dive to try and win a penalty and should have been shown a yellow card for his trouble.

68. 88'

    Sviderskyi flies in to the back of Al-Kahtani and he too picks up a booking. Ukraine manager Oleg Blokhin will not be pleased with these needless yellows.

69. 88'

    Suddenly it opens up for Kalinichenko but his effort goes over the bar when he should have extended his side's lead.

70. 90'

    Graham Poll waves away Saudi appeals for a penalty when Sami Al Jaber goes down. At the other end Tymoschuk tries his luck but his long-range effort is as wide as the gap between these two teams today.

71. 90'

    Nesmachniy is challenged in the Saudi box and that is the final piece of action in this game.

72. 90'

    FULL TIME

73. 90'

    Ukraine have come up with the sort of performance needed to dispel some of the questions surrounding their continued participation in this tournament. With Saudi Arabia now duly dispatched they can look towards their final game with justifiable expectation of securing the result they need to progress.

74. 90'

    Kalinichenko in particular impressed for them today and Shevchenko looks to be finding his form just when they need it. As for Saudi Arabia, their performance today suggested that that second forty-five minute spell during the Tunisia game was simply a blip in their efforts to prove themselves the worst team in recent World Cups.

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