Ukraine v Greece preview

Shevchenko: Goal threat

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Honours are even between Ukraine and Greece as they head into their World Cup play-off second leg.

A goalless draw in Athens on Saturday has ensured that the fate of both sides continues to hang in the balance.

One goal could be all that is needed to book a ticket to South Africa, so nerves will be jangling ahead of a crunch midweek encounter.

Ukraine were the more adventurous during the opening contest and will fancy their chances of repeating their 2006 heroics when they saw off Greece en route to reaching the World Cup finals in Germany.

The hosts have also been rock solid on home soil of late and have not conceded a goal in front of their own supporters since Kazakhstan netted in a 2-1 defeat back in June.

As if the odds were not stacked against Greece enough already, Otto Rehhagel's squad have also had to contend with a swine flu outbreak in Ukraine.

All but three members of the Greek squad have received a basic flu vaccination ahead of the trip, and arrived in Donetsk wearing special protective masks.

Attacking intent

Ukraine coach Oleksiy Mikhailichenko has intimated that he will adopt a more attacking approach on Wednesday, keen to avoid the lottery of a penalty shootout.

That means skipper Andriy Shevchenko, who operated as a lone frontman at the weekend, can expect more support from Artem Milevskiy and Oleg Gusev on home soil.

Mikhailichenko is without defender Grigoriy Yarmash who has a virus while fellow defender Yaroslav Rakitskiy is nursing a slight knock from the first leg but is expected to be fit.

Same approach

Rehhagel has come under fire in the Greek media for his defensive tactics in the first leg when he fielded a five-man defence including Socrates Papastathopoulos, who was given a man-marking job on Shevchenko.

The 71-year-old's game plan failed to yield a goal but he is unlikely to change things for the return.

The Greece coach has fitness worries over Giorgos Karagounis and Sotiris Kyrgiakos, both of whom have sat out training sessions this week.