Andriy Shevchenko vowed Ukraine will be "tough to beat" after they booked a place in the World Cup quarter-finals courtesy of a dramatic penalty shoot-out victory over Switzerland.

The Chelsea striker, who hit the bar in the first half, missed his country's first penalty but Switzerland failed to convert any of their three spot-kicks as the Ukrainians prevailed.

Oleg Blokhin's troops now take on Italy in Hamburg on June 30, and Shevchenko has predicted the Azzurri will face a battle.

"We want to put on a show," he stated.

"Italy have a good team with great players and they are always favourites. But we are difficult to beat. We have quality players. We can keep the ball and change our rhythm."

The 29-year-old praised his side for a spirited performance which proved the Ukrainians' fighting spirit.

"The team was together and battling and that is the spirit out of team," he said.

"The spirit of sacrifice that is what our spirit is. And we always believed in the win."

Shevchenko admitted he "felt a bit sorry for the Swiss" who bowed out of the tournament without conceding a single goal in regulation.

And the Ukraine striker, headed for Chelsea in a £30million move, insisted he was not bothered by his miss from the spot which could have ended his country's first World Cup appearance since splitting from the Soviet Union.

"I am not at all concerned about that," he added.

"I am very happy for the team to win."

Meanwhile, Blokhin revealed he missed Shevchenko's penalty because he retreated to the dressing room.

"I actually did not see his penalty because at the end of extra-time and told the players you have to settle yourself who will take the shots," said the coach.

"But I never doubt his abilities."

Blokhin felt the match against Switzerland was playing "like a second Ukrainian team".

"Their style is very similar to ours," he said. "We knew them well and it was a well-balanced match. In the end we were just a bit more lucky and unfortunately and there has to be a loser."

And the 1975 European footballer of the year added: "It was a very special moment for me as a coach because I never achieved something like this as a player."