Spain through, Ukraine likely to follow

Spain booked their ticket to the final 16 with a 3-1 comeback victory over Tunisia on Tuesday morning, while Ukraine put their World Cup back on track with a dominant 4-0 win over Saudi Arabia to place themselves second in Group H.

After being thumped by Spain in their first game, Ukraine had a point to prove in their clash with Saudi Arabia in Hamburg, who already had a point to their name after their draw with Tunisia.

Two Ukranian goals in each half routed the Saudis, with Andriy Rusol opening the scoring after being fed by Maksym Kalinichenko in just the fourth minute and Serhiy Rebrov capitalised on Saudi keeper Mabrouk Zaid’s slip as his long shot flew in 10 minutes from the break.

Within a minute of the resumption of the second half, new Chelsea signing Andriy Shevchenko chalked up his first of the tournament and his side’s third of the game, and with six minutes of normal time remaining Maxim Kalinichenko drilled home a fourth goal to round off the win.

In Stuttgart, Spain almost certainly wrapped up top spot in the group with a 3-1 win, but the Spaniards left it to the last 20 minutes to fire home their three goals to overtake Tunisia who went into half-time a goal to the good after Jaouhar Mnari’s strike in the eighth minute.

But just as Spain looked like they could perform yet another World Cup implosion, substitute Raul restore parity on 72 minutes, before Fernando Torres tucked away a running shot four minutes later to take the lead.

Then in extra time Alaeddine Yahia held Torres in the area and Torres slotted the penalty to go to the top of the Golden Shoe standings and to hand Spain their two-goal win.

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