Shevchenko sets scoring standard
Wednesday, March 29, 2006
Article summary
With eight goals, Andriy Shevchenko is the leading scorer in the UEFA Champions League as he looks to lead the line for AC Milan against Olympique Lyonnais.
Article body
A place in the UEFA Champions League semi-finals should be motivation enough for Andriy Shevchenko as he prepares to lead the AC Milan attack at Olympique Lyonnais tonight, although the Ukrainian may be spurred on by two personal goalscoring targets.
Fenerbahçe feat
With two more quarter-final first legs to be played this week, Shevchenko is the top marksman in the competition with eight goals, leaving him within touching distance of Ruud van Nistelrooij's record of 12 UEFA Champions League strikes for Manchester United FC three seasons ago. With a potential five matches to go, four goals are well within the 29-year-old's range, particularly as he scored that many in one group game at Fenerbahçe SK in November.
Müller mark
Shevchenko can also close on the all-time record for goals scored in UEFA club competition. He has 55 for Milan and FC Dynamo Kyiv, one short of SL Benfica legend Eusébio and seven behind FC Bayern München's Gerd Müller. Nearly all of this season's leading scorers are still in the competition, including FC Barcelona's Ronaldinho and Juventus's David Trezeguet who have each registered six times.
Henry hits home
Trezeguet failed to add to his total last night as Juventus lost 2-0 in the opening leg of their quarter-final tie against Arsenal FC at Highbury, but French striker Thierry Henry signalled that he could yet be in the running for the top scorer title as he scored in the same game to bring his total for the season up to five goals - leaving him level with Werder Bremen's Johan Micoud and Shevchenko's Milan team-mate Kaká.
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* indicates an eliminated team