Ukraine take 2-0 lead into break v Saudi Arabia

HAMBURG, June 19 (Reuters) Goals from Andriy Rusol and Serhiy Rebrov gave Ukraine a deserved 2-0 lead over Saudi Arabia at halftime in their World Cup Group H match.

Rusol gave the fired-up Ukrainians their first goal in a World Cup finals after four minutes, bursting on to a Maksim Kalinichenko corner to knee home from close range.

Saudi keeper Mabrouk Zaid fell victim to a rain-drenched pitch in the 36th minute, slipping as he tried to block Rebrov's long-range drive which made it 2-0.

Before Rebrov's strike, Andriy Shevchenko could also have scored when his header was cleared off the line by Ahmed Dokhi before Rebrov blazed the rebound over the bar from six metres.

REUTERS MP PM2238