POTSDAM, 18 June 2006 — Ukraine fears its next match against Saudi Arabia will be even tougher than the nation’s World Cup debut, when they were trounced 4-0 by Spain.

“The next game for us will be much tougher than the game against Spain,” Serhiy Rebrov said from the team’s hotel Friday after training was cut short because of a storm. “We have a lot of pressure on us now before the game. Everybody understands we have to win next game.”

Saudi Arabia is considered darkhorse in Group H and Ukraine go into the match as favorites.

“Against Spain, of course we expected to show good football and to have at least one point but now we have to win, and Saudi Arabia as well if they want to go to through,” Rebrov said. “It will be tough because I saw the Saudi Arabia-Tunisia game, and they played very well.”

Ukraine will have to deal with the absence of defender Vladyslav Vashchuk, who will serve a one-game suspension for a red card he received against Spain on Wednesday after being harshly adjudged for committing a foul on Fernando Torres.

Vashchuk’s ban has made life particularly difficult for Ukraine coach Oleh Blokhin, who had announced after his team’s humiliating defeat that he planned to “completely reconstruct” the defense.

It is suspected Blokhin will switch from his usual 4-4-2 formation to a 3-5-2 set up.

The team could also be without midfielder Oleg Gussev, who hurt his knee against Spain. But Andriy Shevchenko isn’t too worried ahead of the match.

“It’s our last chance but we have a strong team and good players,” the newly signed Chelsea striker said. “I’m optimistic.”

Rebrov, who is back with Dynamo Kiev after disappointing stints with Tottenham and West Ham, said the team had to put its disappointment behind it and focus on its strong results from the past. Ukraine was the first European team to qualify for this World Cup.

“Everybody has to remind themselves how they played in qualification,” Rebrov said, “because we beat a lot of very strong teams like Turkey, like Denmark, like Greece.”

He said his teammates should ignore the fans and just concentrate on playing their best. “I know Ukraine can play very well. If they show their football they can beat any team in the world.”