Maldini silences critics with goals against Reggina ROME, Oct 3 (Reuters) - Paolo Maldini proved he is still the man to lead AC Milan after scoring twice in his side's 2-1 win over Reggina at the weekend. The 37-year-old defender, who last month set a record for Serie A appearances, has scored just 27 goals in 20 seasons and has never previously scored twice in a game. His last Serie A goal dated back more than three years to Milan's 1-1 draw with Lazio in September 2002. "It doesn't often happen that I have so many chances to score, so I always try to make the most of the ones I get," Milan's skipper was quoted as saying in La Gazzetta dello Sport on Monday. It was the manner as much as the number of Maldini's goals that surprised Reggina on Sunday. He struck first in the fifth minute with a fine solo effort, nutmegging a defender before sweeping a shot off his less favoured right foot into the bottom corner of the net. His second goal, a quarter of an hour later, was the kind more usually associated with defenders -- a powerful header from a Rui Costa corner. Maldini's performance was the best possible answer to a growing band of critics who claim he is too old, too slow or simply too broken down to lead Milan's defence. A recurrent knee problem kept him out of Milan's line-up at the start of the season and prompted speculation that he might be preparing to call time on his career before his contract expires in June 2007. "I'm coming out of a tricky moment. If I'm out there on the pitch it means I'm in good shape," he said. "At the start of the season I was a little worried. Now, however, I can see that my condition is getting better. "The secret is the desire to get out there and play. For now, the little bit of cartilage that's still there is okay. We will try to make it last as long as possible.
" 在他所剩不多的職業生涯裡,自己做個小小的記錄 傳奇仍在繼續中
