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De Pauw delighted with stylish Lokeren strike

"It was fantastic to get a goal like that," enthused KSC Lokeren OV forward Nill De Pauw after his effort spelled defeat for an FC Metalist Kharkiv side eager to improve their fortunes.

Nill De Pauw savours his winning goal for Lokeren
Nill De Pauw savours his winning goal for Lokeren ©AFP/Getty Images

"I don't often score goals like that," says Lokeren match winner Nill De Pauw
Forward Mbaye Leye insists victory proves "Lokeren deserve to be in this competition"
The Belgian Cup holders turn focus to home and away meetings with Trabzonspor AŞ
Metalist midfielder Serhiy Bolbat feels his team "got tired" in the second half
De Pauw scores the only goal of a tight game on 74 minutes

Nill De Pauw, Lokeren forward
The goal came from a counterattack for us and I used my speed. I saw the full-back following me, but I turned and lost him and shot on goal. The ball had a lot of spin so the goalkeeper moved wrongly to get it and it went in. I don't often score goals like that. Normally I go up against the goalkeeper one on one, so it was fantastic to get a goal like that.

It's the first time we've played in this competition and everything we get is a bonus for us. The most important thing is being in the competition, but we felt today that we can do something in Europe and we'll try to do that.

The pace was slow from the start, but even so we had or three good chances and just didn't finish them. Then we knew we had to pick up the pace in the second half. That didn't result directly in goals, and afterwards they had a bit of a better moment, but from a counterattack we finished it. That killed them and we had two good chances but didn't finish them, so it was still tight until the end.

We knew we had to get a result today to still have a chance. The next two games will be important against Trabzonspor. If we can get a result out there and a win at home, I think we can go for second place.

Giorgos Galitsios, Lokeren defender
It was a very good game for us. We had some chances to score in the first half and we played better than the other team overall to get these three important points. Everyone is happy – all the supporters, the players and the staff. We have to enjoy these games. European games are always very important for the team and the players.

During the game, you don't worry about chances not going in. The most important thing for the players is to fight 90 minutes to score.

Boubacar Barry and Mijat Maric embrace at full time
Boubacar Barry and Mijat Maric embrace at full time©AFP/Getty Images

Mbaye Leye, Lokeren forward
We created a lot of chances and I think we could have been 1-0 or 2-0 up at half-time. There was a lot of space, especially behind their defence, but our final pass was missing. We were well organised and compact, but we were unable to come up with the pass that would make the difference. I could have opened the scoring, but the goalkeeper came out well. I had time to shoot low, but I wanted to put it higher and it hit his shoulder.

We were a lot more decisive than them and had more chances than them. This was a European game that showed Lokeren deserve to be in this competition. Legia beating Trabzonspor opens the group up and we now face a very important match away against Trabzonspor.

Serhiy Bolbat, Metalist midfielder
For maybe a month we haven't been able to win. I don't know why, but we play well and then let in a goal at the end. In the first half here, we maybe had more chances, but in the second half we got tired, they started to press us and we conceded the goal.

We're trying to do everything right, we train well, but I don't know what's wrong. I hope everything will settle down and we can start winning. And I hope we still have a chance in this competition. First of all, it's up to us and how we play, and I hope we will show our best.

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