Everton frontman Lukaku notched eight goals in competition
Romelu Lukaku has finished the season as the Europa League’s joint-top scorer.
The Everton striker is tied on eight goals with Brazilian forward Alan, who played for FC Salzburg in group stages.
Seven of Lukaku’s goals came in the knockout stages as the Blues reached the last 16 of the competition before being dumped out by Dynamo Kiev.
The towering Belgian scored five times over two legs against Young Boys in February, including a hat-trick in Switzerland, whilst also notching against Kiev and Wolfsburg.
Lukaku’s eight goals, which now make him Everton’s leading European scorer of all-time, came in nine appearances while Alan plundered his goals in just five games.
Henrik Larsson remains the Uefa Cup/Europa League’s all-time top scorer with 40.
LUKAKU’S EUROPA LEAGUE GOALS
No1 v Wolfsburg (A) November, 27, 2014.
A devastating counter-attack saw Kevin Mirallas send Lukaku charging in on goal from just inside the Wolfsburg half.
The club’s record signing shrugged off one challenge, ran through and calmly slotting the ball home.
Everton won the game 2-0 and secured their progression to the knockout stages
No2 v Young Boys (A) February, 19, 2015.After Young Boys keeper Yvon Mvogo pulled off a string of fine saves, Lukaku equalised for Everton on 24 minutes.
Gareth Barry’s cross into the box from the left was met with an expert header by the £28m striker.
No3 v Young Boys (A) February, 19, 2015Barry was again the provider, albeit via a deflection, as his cross found Lukaku at the back post and he had the simple task of tapping home with his right foot.
The goal put 3-1 ahead after Seamus Coleman had scored.
No4 v Young Boys (A) February, 19, 2015Lukaku completed the perfect hat-trick in stylish fashion as he raced clean through after Ross Barkley’s pass.
The Belgian showed composure to chip the ball over the advancing Mvogo and make it 4-1.
No5 v Young Boys (H) February 26, 2015Lukaku’s first-half penalty eased a growing sense of nerves at Goodison after Young Boys had taken an early lead in the second leg.
Steven Naismith was felled in the area and the striker confidently converted the spot-kick.
No6 v Young Boys (H) February, 26, 2015Lukaku’s second of the night - and fifth against Young Boys in two games - all but secured Everton’s passage to the last 16 of the competition.
Luke Garbutt’s excellent cross into the area was met with a side-foot volley by the Blues’ frontman.
No7 v Dynamo Kiev (H) March, 12, 2015After setting up the goal that brought Everton level, Lukaku put them in front in a tense first leg with Kiev.
The Blues won a late penalty and Lukaku converted. It gave Everton a slender lead heading into the following week’s trip to Ukraine.
No8 v Dynamo Kiev (A) March, 19, 2015With arguably his best goal of the competition, Lukaku brilliantly equalised on the night to re-establish Everton’s aggregate lead.
But the Blues failed to use the curled, left foot strike as something to build on and capitulated in Kiev to go out of the competition after a humiliating 5-2 loss.
By Phil Kirkbride / Echo
