Ukraine v Slovenia Preview

Ukraine have set the stage for their first ever entry into a major football finals with Andriy Shevchenko's away goal in Ljubljana on Saturday night.

The excellent left foot finish on the run from the AC Milan could prove vital if Slovenia can be kept from scoring in Kiev tomorrow night.

The away goal would come into play at the end of ninety minutes and after Slovenia's excellent display at home to win the first leg 2-1 the must now hang on their advantage in front of 80,000 Ukraine fans.

The speed and touch of Shevchenko again stood out for Ukraine in the first leg but the team work and hard running of the Slovenian side took over the game in the second half as they came back to equalise and score a sensational winner near the end from substitute Milenko Acimovic when he shot in from just on half way.

Any more form like that from Slovenia and they are serious contenders to move into the Euro 2000 finals next summer and Ukraine also suffer from suspensions after two red cards in the first leg.

Ukraine have to make up ground and are going to make changes to their starting line up on Saturday but match winner Acimovic is only likely to be a substitute again. Yuri Maximov and Oleg Luzhny are back in training after injuries but may not be fit to make the starting eleven.

Slovenia also have to make changes but goalkeeper Mladen Dabanovic should keep his place. Their best defender on the night Aleksander Knavs will miss the game with suspension and another man will have to mark Shevchenko. Marinko Galic comes back into the side after missing the first game through suspension but he may not be detailed to play against Shevchenko who will gain have a free role to attack at will from any position. He relishes such freedom but Ukraine's scoring record of late has not been good and they have relied too heavily on inspirational moments from the Serie A player to get them on the attack and finish their better moves.

Shevchenko has come to dominate the attacking pay of the Ukraine side and if Slovenia can find a formation to lessen his threat they can take a big step into their first finals. The danger for the visiting side is they sit back and defend their lead too deep and invite pressure onto themselves. Ukraine will then find it much easier to attack and it is always a psychological temptation for a side in Slovenia's position to try and protect a hard won lead.

The team discipline of the Slovenians can work to frustrate the Ukraine side and German referee Bernd Heynemann may again be an important figure as two new faces try to get into the European championship finals.