Fekir: Halfway line wonder goal was about instinct

Nabil Fekir says he relied on instinct to execute a stunning strike from the halfway line for Lyon on Saturday, having practiced the technique previously.

The France international caught Bordeaux goalkeeper Benoit Costil out with a superb effort to open the scoring in the 10th minute of their Ligue 1 clash at Parc OL.

And Fekir was pleased to see his hard work on the training pitch rewarded with a goal of supreme quality.

“I took the information in before I shot,” he said. “I just saw Benoit Costil advanced, I took my chance and I pulled it off.

“It was with the right foot but I did not question myself – I hit it with instinct. This is proof that I have confidence in myself.

“It is a technique that I had already worked on in training and already tried in other games. It’s been good for me and the team.”

9e – GOLAAAAAZZOOOOOO de @NabilFekir !!! Lob du milieu de terrain au fond des filets !!
1-0 !! #OLFCGB

— Olympique Lyonnais (@OL) August 19, 2017

However, Fekir acknowledged that Lyon’s failure to win, as they conceded a stoppage-time equaliser in a 3-3 draw, had dimmed his view of the goal.

“[The goal] started us off but the most important thing in football is that the team wins,” he added. “Unfortunately we did not win.”