Chilean international Lucas Cepeda is preaching patience following his first goal in European football. The forward secured a 1-0 victory for Elche in a recent derby against Valencia, but the player remains focused on the club's fight against relegation.
The strike provided a momentary reprieve for the club, briefly lifting them out of the relegation zone. Elche manager Eder Sarabia praised the squad's performance at the Martínez Valero, stating, “In the Martínez Valero, magical things happen. The team has relied on pride.”
Despite the win, Elche slipped back into the red zone following other results from the matchday. This reality has kept Cepeda from celebrating too early.
Speaking with DAZN, the Santiago Wanderers-trained winger expressed his satisfaction with the team's effort rather than his individual milestone. “It is a joy to score my first goal outside the country, but I am happier with the team's performance, which gave everything for 95 minutes,” Cepeda said.
Focus on survival
The primary objective for the squad remains maintaining their status in LaLiga. Cepeda noted that the current league position does not reflect the club's true standing.
“I feel very comfortable. I have to go step by step; I have achieved nothing,” Cepeda said. He added that his goal is simply to assist the team in escaping the bottom of the table, a position he believes the club does not deserve.
With the season entering its final stretch, the Chilean forward believes the team must capitalize on home advantage. He identified the remaining matches as high-stakes encounters for the club.
“We have to recover most of the points at home. We achieved the victory and we deserved it; we have seven finals left that we are going to go after,” Cepeda concluded.
