MOI ELYOUNOUSSI accepted his share of the responsibility for the shock 3-1 defeat to Copenhagen on Thursday night and told his teammate Jozo Simunovic that he’s nothing to apologise for after his error that gifted the Danish Champions an unlikely lead at Celtic Park.
“Jozo has nothing to apologise for. We win as a team and we lose as a team,” the Norwegian attacker told the Media, as reported by Daily Record.
“I should have scored right in front of goal, so I should say sorry. He has nothing to be sorry for. I’m sure he will think about it a little bit, but he will get rid of it and focus on the next one,” Moi said.
After a blistering start to his loan spell at Celtic, a foot injury in the League Cup semi-final at Hampden as hampered Elyounoussi’s season and he’s now got 13 games to convince Neil Lennon and his boss Peter Lawwell that he’d be value for the transfer fee that Southampton will be looking for.
But for now the focus has to switch from the disappointment of losing the game on Thursday night, to the next task, up at McDiarmid Park tomorrow afternoon in the Scottish Cup quarter-final against St Johnstone.
“We are disappointed for the fans and everyone who loves this club that we could not provide the win that everyone wanted. It would have been our night if we had scored more than one goal and we should have done,”” Moi said.
“Now all we can do is focus on the league and the Scottish Cup. Obviously, we wanted to go further in Europe and we had a good opportunity but we didn’t take it.
“We felt that frustration on Thursday night but we have to let it go now and prepare for the quarter-final on Sunday. Winning the treble would make up for this defeat.
“Hopefully, we will take our frustration out on St Johnstone and go on to win the other two trophies. We’re hungrier than ever now and we will use the defeat to Copenhagen as motivation for the rest of this season so that we can give something back to the fans.
“I thought we dominated and we created chances which we should have taken – I should have scored, definitely. We were so close but it wasn’t enough. They defended very well, they were organised and they hurt us with their counter-attacks.”
“We still wanted to attack and be on the front foot and going for the goal. We knew they had to score the first goal, but we wanted to go for the win for our fans so we kept attacking and attacking.
“We were just unlucky in front of goal. It didn’t quite work out in the last third with the last shot or pass. I think the first half was good, we started the second half ok, but when they got the goal it gave them a boost.
“We should have had more composure after they scored, because I think we are the better team. If we had kept our composure as we did in the first half and kept trying to find the gaps, we would have created more chances.”
Moi admits that he was thrown into the team due to injuries and suspensions and tried his best although far from match fit. “I want to make an impact. Everyone wants to play. I was thrown into it against Copenhagen and did okay, especially in the first half. We had chances and I should have scored, so I’m very disappointed with that.
“I always want to play and help the team win games, so I’m disappointed I couldn’t help the team on Thursday.
“I should have taken more responsibility, especially in front of goal, but that gives me even more motivation for the games coming up. That makes me hungrier than ever.”
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