Morocco international Yassine Bounou has expressed his delight after rescuing Sevilla from defeat against Real Valladolid.
The Moroccan keeper did not rescue Los Rojiblancos how you’d expect by saving a penalty or pulling off a crucial save. He ended up scoring a goal for his side to salvage a draw and keep them 10 points ahead of Real Sociedad in the fight for next season’s UEFA Champions League.
The 29-year-old goalkeeper scored a late equalising goal to earn a 1-1 draw for Sevilla against Valladolid in the Spanish La Liga game on Saturday night.
It was Bounou’s first-ever goal as a professional footballer and he was named Man of the Match.
Yassine Bounou of Sevilla FC celebrates with teammates after scoring the equaliser. (Photo by Angel Martinez/Getty Images)
The Canada-born shot-stopper said that he finds it ‘difficult to describe’ his feeling as he helped Sevilla to a point at the Estadio Municipal José Zorrilla in Valladolid.
“It has been a complicated match for the context but we played well and the penalty sank us a little. In the second half, we insisted until the reward came,” Bounou said.
“The sensation is difficult to describe because I do not know how to celebrate it. It’s very strange, but well, my teammates are happy because we deserved more.
“Two years ago, I scored a goal here against Girona and I turned to that memory so that I could go up for the corner with the permission of the manager. The goal fell to me and I’m grateful.”
Bounou is part of the Morocco squad which will face Mauritania and the Central African Republic in the 2022 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers later this month.
He has played 25 international matches for Morocco thus far and will hope to continue representing the Atlas Lions at the highest level.
Although he was thrilled with his goal, the Sevilla keeper will be hoping that he does not need to go up the pitch to salvage any more draws with club or country as he will hope that comfortable wins and clean sheets will be the way forward for his sides.
