It was in this setting that Matthieu Epolo launched his epic at Standard and his hyperactivity during the Pro League anthem revealed a certain tension. “Not at all, watch the SL 16 matches and you will see that I always have the same behavior. I think that above all it testifies to my desire to play”smiled the 19-year-old goalkeeper, who learned on Thursday that he would be starting.
A high and somewhat risky game
His performance against Sint-Truiden proves him right. Internally, his appetite for work and his innate leadership pushed the technical staff to offer him a chance to acclimatize to the highest level. Arnaud Bodart's slight injury simply accelerated this process. “After the initial defeat in Ghent, we knew it would be virtually impossible to get a European ticket. We therefore decided to give several young people a chance. Even if Arnaud was good in the last matches, the idea was to start Matthieu now”explained Ivan Leko.
Of course, it is premature to draw solid lessons after a single performance. Very comfortable with the ball, he delighted in the warm-up by sending balls from 40 meters into the gloves of Jean-François Gillet. He did not have the same success during the meeting, even if his waste can be correlated with the risky passes he attempted. Often sought after in the construction of the game, he played in a very advanced position, to the point of practically touching the line… of the central circle after eight minutes of play.I like to play high and the coach asked me to stay connected with the defense to be in surplus in the construction”continued the guard.
On his line, he showed great dispositions. He quickly jumped into the feet of Ogawa (13th), completely forgotten by Price, but the ball then bounced off the Japanese before ending up in the back of the net. “I haven't seen the images again yet but I think I was a little unlucky on this one. It was a good match but there are maybe two or three things to manage better for the future.”
Epolo calmly stopped attempts from Bertaccini and Ito. His only error came three minutes after returning from the locker room, when he released an innocuous shot from Barnes which could have allowed Bertaccini to double the score.
Determined but not impatient
However, these 90 minutes demonstrated that Epolo must continue to play matches during the playoffs. The experience he will be able to glean there will be decisive in offering him more peace of mind next season, which he could start with the status of number 1. “We will continue to give him a chance. It's different for him to show up in training or in a match. We discussed it with Arnaud. He played as long as we had potential goals but now it’s the right time to start Matthieu”confirmed the Croatian coach.
Standard: Ivan Leko confirms that Matthieu Epolo will finish the season in goal
This desire is in perfect harmony with the goalkeeper's ambitions. Very cautious in his speech, he intends to continue his rise. “The future ? I don't know. If I'm given a chance, I'm going to take it and give it my all. I think I feel ready to be number 1, although I still have a lot to learn. It's true that, sometimes, we young people are a little too hasty because it is still the Standardhe smiled. And if I am on the bench or in the stands, it will mean that I have to give myself even more to show that I am the best.
