G is for...
Thursday, April 28, 2005
Article summary
uefa.com's A to Z countdown to the UEFA Champions League final takes in some golden Gs.
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As uefa.com Action's A to Z countdown to the UEFA Champions League final on 25 May continues, it is time for some great Gs.
When it comes to the Champions League every team involved is there on merit but even so there are still the occasional giant-killing results that make heads turn.
One of the most memorable came in the 1994/95 campaign. FC Barcelona were left red-faced after their trip to IFK Göteborg as goals from Magnus Erlingmark and Jesper Blomqvist ensured a famous first win in the competition for the Swedish side.
The following season, Danish side Aalborg BK secured a 2-1 win against Panathinaikos FC in the group stage to take the baton of Nordic giantkillers from IFK, while Grasshopper-Club of Switzerland took the honours in 1996/97, winning 1-0 against all-star AFC Ajax at the Amsterdam ArenA.
IFK repeated their giantkilling feats in the same season with a 2-1 win against AC Milan but the real surprise package of that season were German side BV Borussia Dortmund who rampaged into the final, beating Juventus FC 3-1 to become European champions against the odds.
From improbable victories to improbably quick goals. On 25 September 2002 PSV Eindhoven conceded a goal to Arsenal FC's Gilberto Silva just 20.07 seconds into a Champions League game to set a new record for the fastest ever goal in the competition. It will take some beating.
The Brazilian's strike took 0.05 seconds off the record set by Alessandro Del Piero for his goal for Juventus FC against Manchester United FC at Old Trafford in October 1997.
One player to emerge form the Champions League this season with great credit is Ezequiel González. The Argentinian made his mark with Panathinaikos, scoring three times in their group stage campaign, but his goals were unable to take them through to the knockout stages.
The 24-year-old scored one of the Champions League goals of the season against Arsenal. There seemed no danger as goalkeeper Jens Lehmann's clearance fell to Gonzalez 35 meters out, but he showed tremendous skill and control to lob the goalkeeper to put the Greek club back on level terms in a 2-2 draw at Highbury.
