In the Premier League, Matthäus Fernandes helped his team defeat Sunderland 3-1. He scored a brilliant goal that was a tribute to his football idol, Cristiano Ronaldo. Encouraged by captain Jarrod Bowen, the Portuguese midfielder became more decisive in his attempts at shooting, and just minutes before the end of the first half, he sent the ball into the top left corner of the Sunderland goal with a powerful long-range shot.  

Near the end of the second half, Matthäus Fernández nearly replicated his earlier brilliant goal. His powerful right-footed shot struck the underside of the crossbar and bounced out, leaving goalkeeper Robin Roughs helpless. In a post-match interview with West Ham TV, Fernández stated that he was proud not only of his own performance but also of the performance of every teammate wearing the red and blue jersey.  

After the match, Matthäus Fernández said: "Today was a very good day for everyone, whether it was the club, the players, or the coaching staff. I think the team is gradually becoming more stable. We played a high-quality game and were able to continue our good performance in subsequent matches. Now we will continue to focus on the next challenge."  

“I think the most crucial point today was that we quickly followed up with another goal after taking the first one, almost securing the victory early on. We are very happy to have won this game, and the team fully deserves this win. Next, we will focus on next week’s game.”  

If a two-goal lead almost extinguished Sunderland's hopes of a comeback, then Matthäus Fernandez's brilliant long-range shot two minutes before halftime completely sealed the victory. After the match, he said, "It's truly unbelievable. It's the first goal from outside the box in my career, so I'm very happy. This is something I practice constantly in training. I've started trying shots like that in training sessions, so I need to be more confident in completing them in matches."  

“My shooting ability is good, which is a good thing for both me and the team. In fact, everyone has been encouraging me to try shooting more. But in my position, I usually prefer to create better scoring opportunities for my teammates so they can finish them. However, today’s game was a good opportunity for me. This goal gives me more confidence for the upcoming games, and I will try to shoot more in future games.”  

The 21-year-old's impact on the game wasn't limited to goals; he also led the team in touches and tackles. Matthäus Fernández stated, "Yes, I always try to control the tempo of the game, and the coach also requires me to take on the responsibility of controlling the game in midfield. I think midfield is the most crucial position on the pitch because you can influence the attack, the defense, and the overall rhythm from there. I enjoy every minute I play in this position."  

"Scoring a goal is certainly exciting, but winning the game is even more gratifying, and it will make for a wonderful week. But ultimately, it's just a game. We all know that football is unpredictable, and only by constantly playing at a higher level and winning more games can we move forward."  

"Keeping a clean sheet is our primary goal. We know that as long as we don't concede a goal, we have a chance to win because the team always has the ability to score, and victory comes from the unity of the whole team. Whether in good times or bad, we must stay united because that's football, and we know we have the ability to change the situation. Therefore, we focus on ourselves and on what we can control, and we will continue to move forward in next week's game against Chelsea."  

Image source: Internet/West Ham United official website