Ukraine rekindled their hopes of reaching the last 16 of the World Cup with a resounding 4-0 Group H victory over Saudi Arabia in Hamburg.

Oleg Blokhin's side started at an electric pace and erased the memory of their 4-0 drubbing at the hands of Spain with just four minutes on the clock when Andriy Rusol escaped the attentions of his marker to prod Maxim Kalinichenko's outswinging right-wing corner past Mabrouk Zaid.

And while Redha Tukar almost levelled immediately with a half-volley, that proved to be a rare moment of attacking threat from the second-best Saudis as Ukraine totally dominated the game.

Andriy Shevchenko then came agonisingly close to doubling Ukraine's lead in the 13th minute when he met another Kalinichenko corner with a powerful header, but Ahmed Dokhi blocked his effort on the line.

Andriy Voronin and Shevchenko both went close with shots from distance before former Spurs striker Serhiy Rebrov showed them how it was done when he curled the ball past Zaid from fully 35 yards nine minutes before the interval.

Andriy Voronin missed a great chance to make it 3-0 just before half-time when he fired wide with the goal at his mercy.

But Ukraine did strike again 40 seconds into the restart when Maxim Kalinichenko's free-kick from the left was headed home by £30million Chelsea man Shevchenko from 10 yards out.

The Saudis, knowing they face Spain in their final Group H encounter on Friday, did their best to get back into the game but a Yasser Al Kahtani shot, which fizzed just wide, was as near as they came.

And the victory was sealed six minutes from time when Shevchenko burst clear down the left and squared for the impressive Kalinichenko to fire into the roof of the Saudi net.