Sunday, June 4 2006

KIEV: Ukraine will make their debut at the World Cup finals buoyed by veteran keeper Oleksander Shovkovsky although for a while it looked like he might not make it.

Shovkovsky, 31, broke his collarbone in a collision during a club friendly in January, raising fears he might not be fit by June.

“I will not give up my place in the team to anybody,” a determined Shovkovsky said at the time.

He is now nearly back on his best form and rejoined his club’s first side on April 12.

Dynamo Kiev coach Anatoly Demyanenko said Shovkovsky did not display any fear of fighting for the ball and promised he would be back at his best by the time the national team went to Germany.

Shovkovsky — or Sasha — played his first match for Ukraine in 1994 and his cool head and quick reactions have made him a favourite with fans ever since.

Along with AC Milan’s Andriy Shevchenko, the 2004 European Footballer of the Year, Ukraine are pinning their hopes on Shovkovsky to help them progress past their first-round group of Spain, Tunisia and Saudi Arabia.

European clubs have tried to lure away Shovkovsky, but he has stayed loyal to Dynamo Kiev, where he has played since 1993 — winning a string of trophies along the way.

The World Cup finals will be tougher than his home league, but on the European stage Shovkovsky has proved he can keep out some of the world’s top strikers.

Ukraine would not be the same without him.

“He is the life and spirit of the team,” said national coach Oleg Blokhin.

(REUTERS)