Artem Stepanov, striker for Utrecht and the Ukraine youth national team, continues to deliver outstanding goal-scoring form in the Dutch championship. In the matchday 6 Eredivisie fixture against Excelsior, the 19-year-old forward started the game and once again found the back of the net, helping his team secure a 2-1 away victory. This goal was the Ukrainian's fifth of the current domestic campaign and allowed him to equal a unique record that had stood for a quarter of a century.
Match flow: a stoppage-time rescue
Stepanov opened the scoring in the 36th minute: following a cross from a teammate, he positioned himself well inside the penalty area and sent the ball into the net. In the second half, Excelsior leveled the score, and the tension held until the final seconds of the match. The decisive win for Utrecht came from a precise strike by Dani de Vito, converted in the referee's added time. Thanks to this victory, the team snapped a run of poor form and now sit in 13th place in the Eredivisie standings.
A record that matches van der Vaart's feat
According to the official Eredivisie website, at the age of 19 years and 34 days, Stepanov became the youngest player to score in five consecutive Dutch championship matches. The previous record in this category belonged to the legendary Rafael van der Vaart, who set it back in 2001. In doing so, the Ukrainian entered the history of the league by matching the achievement of one of the most brilliant midfielders in the history of Ajax and the Netherlands national team.
Golden Boot race: joint leadership with Tenstedt
Stepanov has scored at least one goal in each of his five Eredivisie appearances this season, which has placed him at the top of the Golden Boot race. As it stands, the Ukrainian shares first place in the league's top scorers list with Søren Tenstedt of Go Ahead Eagles. It is also worth noting that at club level the forward has now reached his 10th goal in his 20th match for Utrecht in the Dutch championship, underscoring his high level of consistency throughout his time with the team.
Transfer context: rights belong to Bayer
The rights to the Ukrainian striker belong to Bayer Leverkusen, who have loaned him to Utrecht. The current transfer value of the 19-year-old forward is estimated at 5 million euros. His confident run of goals in the Eredivisie and his entry into the league's history for the youngest player to set such a record only strengthen interest in the promising player and could become a factor in his future transfer fate.
