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Adriano, Kobiashvili hit hat-tricks; Shevchenko scores four
(Reuters)
Updated: 2005-11-24 09:51 Milan's Shevchenko hits four to sink Fenerbahce
ISTANBUL, Nov 23 (Reuters) - Andriy Shevchenko scored four goals to lead AC
Milan to a crushing 4-0 win over Fenerbahce in their Group E match on Wednesday,
putting the Italian side's Champions League campaign firmly back on course.
The win took Milan top of the group level on eight points with their final
opponents Schalke 04, who beat PSV Eindhoven 3-0. The Turkish club's hopes of
advancing in the competition were ended as they remain bottom of the group with
four points.
Shevchenko is only the fifth player in Champions League history to score four
goals in a single match. His first-half strike was his 50th goal in UEFA
competition.
Sprinting from the halfway line, he picked up a pass from Clarence Seedorf
and raced into the area to slot the ball beyond Fenerbahce keeper Volkan
Demirel.
The Ukrainian doubled Milan's lead early in the second half. Receiving a pass
from Alberto Gilardino, he beat one player and scored with a powerful drive from
outside the area.
The European Player of the Year made it a hat-trick on 70 minutes with an
easy side-foot after a cross from Serginho. His fourth was a similar tap-in off
a cross from Christian Vieri.
"We saw the difference in class tonight and I wish our players had such
opponents every week so they could learn from them," Fenerbahce coach Christoph
Daum said.
The German rued the absence of a trio of Brazilian players, with playmaker
Alex sidelined with a hamstring injury while defender Fabio Luciano and
midfielder Marco Aurelio were both suspended.
"We couldn't make up for the absence of several players and we saw that Milan
are an excellent counter-attacking team and has great speed going forward," Daum
said.
TURKISH APPLAUSE
Shevchenko's third goal drew applause from the Turkish crowd and Milan had a
series of other chances to score after the home side's resolve collapsed.
The Ukranian was only denied by good work from Volkan, who twice denied him
from close range when he only had the keeper to beat.
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