Traore: It’s been nearly 5 months since I played but I loved my goal
Giant Ivorian striker Lacina Traore was delighted to finally get playing and was over the moon at notching a goal on his Everton debut.
The 6ft 8in striker hadn’t played a competitive game for nearly 5 months but put in a hard working display and topped it off with an early goal in the 2-1 win against Swansea City in the FA Cup to help send his side through to the Quarter Finals against Arsenal.
He told evertontv: “I’m really, really happy. It was a pleasure for me to start my first game and then to cap that with a goal was absolutely great.
“It was [instinct]. I was already in the goalmouth and when I saw that Sylvain [Distin] lifted his head up and saw me and picked me out with a great pass, all I had to do was put it in the net.
“When you think it’s been nearly five months since I played a competitive game, it was great to get 60 minutes under my belt. I’ll start to feel even better when I’ve had a few more games, but I feel good now. I will start to get my full match fitness and continue improving.
“I’m hoping to get to my top level, my peak fitness as soon as possible – and it’s only with working hard in training and playing those minutes out there on the field in games that that will happen.”
Traore was full of praise for his Everton team mates who he says have helped him adjust to life on Merseyside and he says that the Everton fans acted like a 12th man and motivated him to do well for them.
He added: “What I would like to say is that my teammates have been helping me an awful lot in training so that’s why it’s working well.
“The reception I got [at the Swansea game] – I was really well received by the supporters. That worked in two positive ways for me.
“Firstly, it was a source of motivation, I tried really hard and it was a real lift to hear the fans.
“And secondly, it relaxed me at the same time because I knew I had the fans on my side behind me so it took away any pressure that there might have been in my first game.
“I’ve come to a good team with good players. I think we can go all the way, hopefully. We’ll be fighting hard to get to the final in this competition and fighting hard in the league, because we want to get what we deserve from this season.”
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