UKRAINE v Switzerland

You probably found Ukraine’s 0-0 draw with Switzerland boring, but I had a great time. Once again, I was enjoying the hospitality of the Ukrainian Social Club, my third most welcoming hosts so far (just above Costa Rica but slightly trailing the sterling efforts of Ivory Coast and Togo).

On my way home from the previous night’s Portugal match, I’d had another call from my friend Taras at the club. It was Ukraine’s first evening game, and they were expecting a still bigger crowd than for any of the previous matches. Taras was pleased and optimistic to be facing Switzerland.

I certainly found the bar busier than before, but now I was confident enough to order my Ukrainian beer by name. They ran out of supplies later, but the other Ukrainian beer was just as nice (and strong), and came in another lovely big bottle.

And when I made my way through to the ballroom the crowd was bigger again. We all stood in respectful silence for the anthem, followed by an enthusiastic round of the usual polite applause.

And there was more applause when the English commentators were silenced and replaced by Ukrainian radio commentary. I was certainly relieved. I’d been enjoying listening to commentary I couldn’t understand rather than the usual British commentators I found so irritating.

But the Ukrainian commentary kept flickering in and out of life and was duly re-replaced by the wisdom of Mick McCarthy.

Thankfully Mick was soon drowned out by the crowd, as they supplemented their customary polite applause with cheers and shouts. There was more of an atmosphere than at the previous games, with a quarter-final tie against Italy at stake.

The crowd were out of their seats when Andriy Shevchenko hit the bar. And there were shouts when Alexander Frei repeated the trick for the Swiss, and concern as Switzerland went on to have the best of the first half.

My English friend from the Spain game had even convinced his footie-sceptic Ukrainian wife to come along. She was concerned by the first-half performance, but he thought it was definitely better than against Spain. I had to agree with both of them.

But the atmosphere built further as Ukraine played much better in the second half, and half the crowd thought they’d scored when Shevchenko unleashed a thunderbolt. They were out of their seats again when a header from a corner brushed the Swiss post, and desperately appealed for a penalty as the game nervously approached 90 minutes. Surely there would be no way back if someone scored now?

But it remained goalless at full-time. Taras admitted he was nervous as we went into extra-time. I, on the other hand, enthusiastically accepted my third big, strong Ukrainian beer of the night. I was beginning to regret not partaking of the sausages that had been on offer in the bar.

The applause, cheers and shouts were now joined by chanting and foot-stomping as the game built to another crescendo. But there were no goals to be had, and penalties beckoned for the first time in the tournament.

There was stunned silence when Shevchenko inevitably missed the first penalty, but then huge celebration, leaping in the air, cheers and chanting as Switzerland missed, Ukraine scored, Switzerland missed again, Ukraine scored, Switzerland somehow missed yet again and Ukraine scored. Ukraine were in the quarter-finals!

Nazdorovya!

The next report will be on Italy in the quarter-finals