Adriano realises long-held ambition

Luiz Adriano admitted his goal in FC Shakhtar Donetsk's UEFA Cup final triumph was "one I have always dreamed of" after spearheading a five-pronged Brazilian attacking force that simply proved too strong for Werder Bremen.

Personal 'landmark'
Adriano is a notoriously slow starter. Of his 13 goals for the Pitmen before the Istanbul showpiece, only one had come in the opening half-hour, the 22-year-old tending to take time to find his range before finishing strongly. It looked business as usual when he snatched at an early chance, but he made amends on 25 minutes when Ilsinho collided with referee Luis Medina Cantalejo as he looked to collect Răzvan Raţ's pass. The ball rolled on toward Adriano, who pounced, running on goal and deftly chipping over the advancing Tim Wiese. "My goal was very important," said the Shakhtar No17. "It showed that we had come to play and to take home the title. It was a landmark for me and my career, as well as for the club and the team-mates that helped me reach this level."

Perfect blend
They were not there yet, however. Naldo equalised with a free-kick ten minutes later and despite the constant probing of Shakhtar's Brazilian attack of Adriano, Jadson, Ilsinho, Willian and Fernandinho, it was not until seven minutes into extra time that Jadson secured Ukraine's first European title as an independent nation. "It's special," said Adriano. "The club never even reached a UEFA Cup or Champions League final, so I don't know how to describe the great emotions me and my team-mates are going through now. Five Brazilians play at Shakhtar, so it feels like family, but the Ukrainians are a part of it; the blend has had its reward. It's a huge title and everyone is dancing and enjoying themselves now."