Shevchenko to meet old friends as Italy and Ukraine clash

By Simon Cambers Jun 27, 2006, 0:57 GMT

Berlin - Andriy Shevchenko will get the chance to put one over on several of his former colleagues when Ukraine face Italy in the quarter-finals of the World Cup after the two sides won tight second-round encounters on Monday.

Shevchenko missed the first kick of the penalty shootout against Switzerland but it was not costly as three Swiss players failed from the spot to send Ukraine into the last eight on their first appearance in the finals.

The match had ended 0-0 after extra time and the Swiss went out despite not losing any of their four matches in normal time, and became the first team to go out without conceding a goal.

It was also the first time in 17 World Cup penalty shootouts that a team had failed to score a single spot-kick.

Italy beat Australia 1-0 in Kaiserslautern thanks to an injury- time penalty from substitute Francesco Totti.

Shevchenko, who spent seven seasons with AC Milan in Italy before moving to Chelsea this summer, will renew acquaintance with many of those he has played alongside and against for all of the 21st century.

And though Italy will be strong favourites to advance, Shevchenko said Ukraine should not be written off.

'Of course it will be hard and Italy are a very good side,' Shevchenko said. 'We do not have the greatest players but we make up for what we lack by playing with a great heart.'

The Italians had to fight hard themselves for their place in the last eight after they had Marco Materazzi sent off early in the second half. The Inter Milan player will not be available against the Ukraine as a result.

Australia batted hard in search of the equaliser but were undone in the fifth minute of injury time when Fabio Grosso was adjudged to have been fouled in the area by Lucas Neill.

Totti, who had been left out of the starting line-up in favour of Alessandro Del Piero, kept his head to smash the penalty past Mark Schwarzer's right hand and send Italy through to a date with Ukraine in Hamburg on Friday.

'I have it in me,' a delighted Totti said of his coolly-taken penalty. 'I just wanted to put it in.'

He flashed a thumb-in-the-mouth gesture after the strike - for his baby son, Christian, who was born earlier this year.

And Italy could be further strengthened for the Ukraine match with Alessandro Nesta working hard to return after missing the Australia match with a groin injury.