UKRAINE GETS BIG FINISH BEATS SWITZERLAND ON PENALTY KICKS UKRAINE 0, SWITZERLAND 0.

Byline: SCOTT FRENCH Staff Writer

COLOGNE, Germany -- It was fitting that Andriy Shevchenko, the best finisher in this generation of strikers, would be first.

Shevchenko has a nose for the net like none other, and his goals had been pivotal as Ukraine, in its first World Cup, advanced to the round of 16.

Then he missed, his failure starting this Cup's first penalty shootout with what had to be an omen. Switzerland's faithful, congregated behind the goal, could sense something special coming.

They got it, but it wasn't what was expected or desired. Ukraine, fancied by few, on Monday booked its spot in the final eight, beating the Swiss 3-0 on penalty kicks after 120minutes of often invigorating, but ultimately scoreless, soccer in front of 45,000 at Rhein-Energie-Stadion.

Shevchenko couldn't find the net -- Swiss goalkeeper Pascal Zuberbuehler leapt to his right, parrying the shot with both hands -- but Artem Milevskiy., Serhiy Rebrov and Oleg Gusev had no such trouble. Goalkeeper Oleksandr Shovkovskyi made two stops, and the Ukrainians find themselves in Friday's quarterfinal against Italy in Hamburg.

Coach Oleg Blokhin was reduced to tears by the greatest moment in Ukrainian sporting history.

``I don't really know what to say, to be honest,'' offered Blokhin, who refused to watch the shootout, seeking solace in the locker room.

``How shall I put what's going through my head now? How shall I find the words? . . . I think nobody had confidence in us; they all had written us off. But today people saw that Ukraine can play high-quality football.''

The shootout provided a dramatic finish to the most intriguing of the World Cup's second-round matchups.

Both teams were ecstatic to be here; the Swiss, winners of tough Group G, have the future in mind. Koebi Kuhn had targeted the 2008 European Championship, which Switzerland will co-host with Austria, as his team's coming-out party.

Ukraine, making its first World Cup appearance, started with a 4-0 embarrassment against Spain, with Shevchenko -- returning from a knee injury suffered at the start of May -- looking like someone who hadn't played in more than a month.

Monday's display featured stylish combinations, outstanding defense, and impressive performances, especially by Andriy Gusin and Andriy Nesmachnyi in the back.

The Swiss were Ukraine's equal, overcoming the loss of star defender Philippe Senderos -- and of his replacement, 19-year-old Johan Djourou, to a first-half groin injury -- to post its fourth successive shutout.

Both teams hit the crossbar -- Shevchenko, on a bounce from Kalinichenko's free kick in the 20th minute, and Alexander Frei on a free kick three minutes later -- as they repeatedly surged forward, often finding their way into each other's box but unable to unlock the other's defense.

By the end, after 90 minutes' regulation and near the end of 30 minutes' overtime, both sides were spent.

Penalties was a just decider, and the Swiss quickly gained advantage with Shevchenko's miss. That didn't last long: Marco Streller's attempt, with similar placement as Shevchenko, was no problem for Shovkovskyi, and Milevskiy's chip gave Ukraine the lead.

Tranquillo Barnetta then slammed his shot into the crossbar, and Rebrov made it 2-0 with a blast to the right side. Ricardo Cabanas' try up the middle didn't test Shovkovskyi, and Gusev's shot to the left started Ukraine's celebration.

``The emotion,'' Shovkovskyi said, ``overwhelmes you after such an event."

The Swiss agreed.

``It really hurts,'' Swiss left back Ludovic Magnin said. ``We played so well, and then you lose the thing. Football isn't always fair. . . . It's a giant frustration.''

Said Kuhn: ``There's an emptiness now.''

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CAPTION(S):

photo, 2 boxes

Photo:

Ukrainian goalkeeper Oleksandr Shovkovskiy saves a penalty kick during Monday's game against Switzerland.

Patrik Stollarz/Getty Images

Box:

(1) BRAZIL vs. GHANA

(2) SPAIN vs. FRANCE

- Scott French