Ukraine thumped Andorra in Kiev to keep alive their hopes of qualifying for next summer's World Cup finals in South Africa.

Andriy Yarmolenko opened the scoring for the hosts after 18 minutes and Artem Milevskiy doubled their advantage two minutes into first-half stoppage time.

Three second-half penalties then sealed the rout, the first from captain Andriy Shevchenko in the 72nd minute and then a further two in stoppage time from Milevskiy and substitute Yevgen Seleznov.

The result puts third-placed Ukraine level on 14 points in Group Six with second-spotted Croatia, who host Belarus later tonight. Both teams lie seven points behind runaway pool leaders England.

Andorra have failed to pick up a point so far in eight qualifiers now, and the writing was on the wall early on for the visitors this afternoon.

Yarmolenko lashed Vasyl Kobin's corner into the Andorran net in the 18th minute. Two minutes later new Dynamo Kiev striker Shevchenko almost made it 2-0, but his shot hit the post.

Milevskiy's header into the bottom corner, from Andriy Voronin's free-kick, did made it 2-0 just before the interval.

In the second half Milevskiy earned the first of the three penalties, which was converted by Shevchenko in the 72nd minute, and then notched one himself in the second minute of added time after a foul by Marc Vales on Artem Milevski.

Three minutes later, the third penalty was awarded after Vales was penalised for handball. Substitute Seleznov heaped further woe on Andorra by smashing the ball into the net from the spot kick and hand Ukraine a convincing victory.