Aluko chasing Grings for Golden Boot

Germany striker Inka Grings is in pole position to win the adidas Golden Boot award for the leading scorer at the UEFA WOMEN'S EURO 2009™ finals but England's Eniola Aluko is chasing her hard.

Grings ahead
Grings topped the rankings in 2005 in England with four goals and has now matched that tally thanks to a strike early in each half in the holders' 2-1 quarter-final defeat of Italy. She only needs one more goal to become the first player to score five in a UEFA European Women's Championship final tournament and is now level with Birgit Prinz in second on the all-time list with eight, two adrift of their compatriot Heidi Mohr.

Aluko chase
Aluko, though, is only one behind Grings after also claiming two last-eight goals in the 3-2 win against hosts Finland. Her second came immediately after Finland had reduced the arrears to 2-1 on Thursday, Aluko running straight through the home defence and striking virtually from the kick-off. "I think that's probably the best goal of my career," Aluko told uefa.com. "I can't believe I scored it to be honest! I'm really, really pleased. It was an important time to score, we were on the back foot. Finland had just scored and I think they are the best team we've ever played from a set-pieces perspective. They are very, very dangerous so I'm glad to have scored such a goal at such a time in such a big game." Victoria Sandell Svensson also has three goals but cannot add to that tally due to Sweden's elimination.

Full list
Seven players are on two goals, including a number of whom who will feature in the semi-finals − Germany duo Linda Bresonik and Fatmire Bajramaj, Norway striker Cecilie Pedersen, the Netherlands' Kirsten van de Ven and her Sunday opponent from England, Fara Williams. The full list can be found in the uefa.com statistics section, click here.