Eran Zahavi enjoyed a perfect night as the veteran Maccabi striker and captain on the night scored his seventh goal of the competition and 30th this season to lead the side to a 4-1 victory away to Olympiacos. : “It is a good result and one can even call it a very good result for an away match, but it’s not over yet. We would like to enjoy the moment as we still have to play the return leg in Serbia. It was very tough at a a very difficult ground with a good atmosphere and against a good side. We got a good result, but we can’t celebrate too much, and need to continue playing with courage. We played a good game and got a great result.”
Zahavi who played in that stage of the competition two years ago after knocking out Maccabi in the Playoff phase, added: “At these levels every match is very special, energetic, packed with emotions and played at amazing stadiums like this so one should enjoy the moment. There were periods during the game that we needed to suffer together and go out for transition.. Everyone here gave a bit extra and it was evident on the pitch.”
Zahavi, who recently experienced an uncharacteristic barren run, but came out of it in flying colours summed-up that spell: “I wouldn’t like to look at it on a personal level as the team suffered while I wasn’t playing at the top of my form. There were plenty of matches, fatigue, absentees, an irregular overload as there is no doubt we all suffered as a team. In football you are as good as your teammates, they were excellent today and I supplied the finishing touch.”
Zahavi’s first goal came from a Felicio Milson assist, as Zahavi praised the Angolan winger: “Milson did the things he does best while I finished like I am used to. There were loads of players who sacrificed a lot, won their duals and covered for one another” he said. “When you do these things then even the shiny things come as well. The entire team deserve a massive credit for their efforts and so do the fans who gave an amazing display even better than ours on the pitch. To see all the video clips from the town centre just gave us amazing energy. We are delighted they came and watched such a game with plenty of sacrifice from all of us. Whoever was on the pitch tonight did great and I am just delighted.”
