Shevchenko ready for Sweden clash: "We have nothing to lose now"

Andriy Shevchenko

claims that Ukraine has "nothing to lose" versus Sweden in their bid to reach the quarter-finals of the

for the first time. 

Ukraine's sole prior participation in the knockout rounds of a major tournament was in the 2006 World Cup when they eliminated Switzerland before losing to Italy in the last eight. 

The Eastern European country also doesn't have the finest Euros record, losing seven of their past eight games.

Nevertheless, a 2-1 win against

North Macedonia

, sandwiched between defeats to the Netherlands and Austria, was enough for Ukraine to advance as one of the best third-placed teams in the tournament. 

On Tuesday, Sweden visits Hampden Park, and head coach Shevchenko feels his players can be pleased with themselves regardless of the outcome. 

"We have traveled a long way to be here; everything else will be a big bonus for us. We have achieved the result we wanted and have nothing to lose now," said the Ballon d'Or winner coach.

"I think we played a good group stage. We played well against the Dutch and we put in a good performance against North Macedonia. Austria were very strong opponents. 

"But Sweden are well prepared tactically and have good individual players."

Sweden won a group that included Spain, Poland, and Slovakia to go to the Euros knockout stages for the third time, after reaching the semi-finals in 1992 and the quarter-finals in 2004. 

Despite getting from a tough group with seven points from a possible nine, Sweden coach

Janne Andersson

is wary about Ukraine.

"They are a good team; they know how to switch from defence to attack," he said. "They looked worn out against Austria, but like us they've had some rest – even more actually.

"After the last game I gathered the players and told them I wouldn't want to be anywhere else in the world than in that room with them."

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