Pukanych poised for debut

Leonid Buryak's Ukraine squad for next month's UEFA EURO 2004™ qualifiers against Armenia and Greece is full of surprises.

First call-up
FC Shakhtar Donetsk midfield player Adrian Pukanych is called up for the first time, despite his own goal in the recent league defeat by title rivals FC Dynamo Kyiv. The 21-year-old is expected to make his debut in 7 June fixture against Armenia in Lviv.

Greece test
Four days later Ukraine, who are second in Group 6, visit a Greece side they lead by goal difference, both sides having taken six points from four games. Aside from the talented Pukanych, FC Metalurh Donetsk's Serhiy Zakarlyuka and Serhiy Snytko and Olexandr Prizetko, who play for Russian side FC Chernomorets Krasnodarskiy Kray, return to the squad after lengthy absences.

Tymoschuk suspended
Olexandr Holovko from Dynamo and FC Saturn Moskovskaya Oblast's Olexandr Horshkov will also be returning to the squad after injuries, but key Shakhtar midfield player Anatoliy Tymoschuk will miss the Armenia game because of suspension. "I expect at least four points from these two games," said Buryak.

Shevchenko award
Meanwhile, Andriy Shevchenko, who scored the winning penalty for AC Milan in the UEFA Champions League final on Wednesday, has received his country's top award for sporting achievement, the Master of Sports.

Ukraine squad
Shutkov, Shovkovskyi, Reva, Popov, Nesmachnyi, Fedorov, Holovko, Radchenko, Yezerskyi, Luzhnyi, Shevchuk, Husin, Tymoschuk, Pukanych, Kormiltsev, Kalinichenko, Onischenko, Snytko, Prizetko, Horshkov, Zakarlyuka, Vorobei, Venglinskyi, Shevchenko, Voronin, Rebrov.