PREVIEW – Tunisia stand between Ukraine and last 16

original source

By Iain Rogers

BERLIN (Reuters) – Ukraine, who need to defeat Tunisia on Friday to be certain of reaching the last 16 of the World Cup, cannot afford any complacency against their Group H opponents.

Tunisia gave group leaders Spain a fright in Stuttgart on Monday, taking an early lead before Luis Aragones’s side fought back to win 3-1.

A draw is likely to be enough for Ukraine, barring a freak result between Spain and Saudi Arabia, but captain Andriy Shevchenko said his team would be going for victory.

“I don’t think any player who goes on the pitch ever plays for a draw because he knows how that can end up,” the 2004 European Footballer of the Year told reporters.

“We’ve got a very tough game ahead.”

A win for Ukraine would set up a second-round clash with France, South Korea or Switzerland.

Tunisia, however, could also qualify for the last 16 with a victory.

After an embarrassing 4-0 drubbing at the hands of Spain in the opening match, Ukraine bounced back with an identical scoreline against Saudi Arabia.

Shevchenko, recently returned after a month out with a knee injury, scored Ukraine’s third and set up the fourth for man of the match Maxim Kalinichenko.

Chelsea’s new striker said Kalinichenko was an important player for his country.

SUPERB PASS

“My game depends very much on him,” Shevchenko said. “He provided a superb pass for my goal and then I thanked him by setting one up for him.”

Tunisia coach Roger Lemerre was disappointed his players faded at the end of the game against Spain and in their 2-2 draw with Saudi Arabia.

But he suggested he would not be making many changes to his lineup.

“There’s hope and that’s important,” Lemerre said. “There is cause to be optimistic.”

Probable teams:

Ukraine (3-5-2):

1-Oleksander Shovkovsky (70-0); 6-Andriy Rusol (25-2), 17-Vladislav Vashchyuk (59-1), 2-Andriy Nesmachny (51-0); 9-Oleg Gusev (27-1), 4-Anatoly Tymoshchyuk (57-1), 8-Oleg Shelayev (21-0), 19-Maxim Kalinichenko (22-4), 11-Serhiy Rebrov (72-15); 7-Andriy Shevchenko (66-30), 10-Andriy Voronin (34-4)

Coach: Oleg Blokhin

Tunisia (4-5-1):

1-Ali Boumnijel (50-0); 6-Hatem Trabelsi (58-1), 15-Radhi Jaidi (91-6), 3-Karim Hagui (29-4), 19-Anis Ayari (26-1); 20-Hamed Namouchi (16-1), 12-Joahar Mnari (41-2), 14-Adel Chedli (42-4), 8-Medhi Nafti (31-1), 13-Riadh Bouazizi (91-4); 5-Ziad Jaziri (63-14)

Coach: Roger Lemerre

Referee: Carlos Amarilla (Paraguay)