Maccabi is not stopping and neither is Eran Zahavi who once again scored a precious goal during the 2-1 victory over Maccabi Petah Tikva on Sunday night. Zahavi, who scored the winning goal with a deadly free kick: “I was only thinking about putting the ball in the back of the net. It was a crucial free kick at a critical moment of the game which made the difference. The ball went in and we collected three very important points. Petah Tikva deserve a lot of credit as they made our lives difficult tonight. We knew it was not going to be easy and we found ourselves a goal behind, but I am delighted we showed character. In the second half we played very well as a team and the most important thing is that we won the match.”
On Maccabi winning yet another match by a small margin, Zahavi replied: “To expect us to do what we did at Be’ersheva by wining 6-1 like we did in the Toto Cup earlier this season is not always realistic. Sometimes there are tough matches and after a hectic fixture list and an overload of matches – we still created enough matches to score and make the game easier. Sometimes the ball doesn’t go in and sometimes it just works out easier. It is very important when you are not playing a perfect game to know how to get back in the game and clinch the points by the skin of your teeth. At the end of the season such matches are the ones you recall as very critical points and I am delighted we collected them.”
With regards to Maccabi’s equaliser that was ultimately given as a Guy Dezant own goal, Zahavi said: “I felt I got a touch but that is not something I am am going to argue about. If I am awarded that goal then good, otherwise I am not that bothered and will try make amends in the next game. I felt that I got a touch, it wasn’t a screamer to the top corner but they all count. The most important thing is that the team collected three points and the goal could be awarded to whoever you want.”
