Rabat – Real Betis coach Manuel Pellegrini has commended Moroccan international Abdessamad Ezzalzouli’s development, saying the winger has gained maturity and still has more to offer after scoring a spectacular goal against FC Porto in the Champions League.
“He himself wants to improve, he has gained maturity and he still has a lot to contribute,” Pellegrini said after Betis defeated Porto 3-2 on Wednesday, according to Mountakhab.net, which cited Spanish outlet Estadio Deportivo.
The coach’s comments came after Ezzalzouli produced one of the highlights of the match, opening the scoring shortly after halftime with a curling right-footed shot that beat Porto goalkeeper Diogo Costa.
The 24-year-old found the net in the 47th minute, giving the Spanish side an early advantage in the second half. The goal was his first in this season’s Champions League campaign.
Porto responded with goals from Gabri Veiga in the 54th minute and Samu Aghehowa in the 61st, flipping the script in Porto’s favor.
However, the home side recovered through Cucho Hernandez’s equalizer in the 74th minute before Isco converted a penalty six minutes from the final whistle to secure all three points.
The victory gave Betis six points from their opening two matches in the competition and boosted their return to the Champions League.
Ezzalzouli’s performance against Porto followed another productive performance in LaLiga. The Moroccan winger scored in Betis’ 5-2 victory over Osasuna on October 11 and continued his contribution to the team’s attacking play.
His recent performances also follow a period in which he struggled to maintain consistent playing time because of a knee injury. In September, Pellegrini commended his return to action and highlighted his ability to make a difference for the team.
For Ezzalzouli, the challenge now is to maintain that level across domestic and European competitions. His goal against Porto offered a glimpse of the attacking threat he can bring to Betis, while Pellegrini’s evaluation points to his belief that the Moroccan still has room to develop further.
