Pedro Obiang admitted his 30-yard Wembley wonder-strike in Thursday’s 1-1 Premier League draw with Tottenham Hotspur was ‘really lucky’.
The Spaniard belted in his third goal in West Ham United colours to give his team an unlikely lead at the Home of Football, where Spurs unleashed 31 goal attempts to the Hammers’ three, collecting Andre Ayew’s pass before arrowing an unstoppable shot past Hugo Lloris.
Obiang was also part of a superb rear-guard action both before and after his goal, and Tottenham were only able to rescue a point when Hueng-Min Son scored with an equally impressive long-range strike seven minutes from full-time.
What was in my mind? Nothing! Just shoot! I said to myself to try something different, so I did and it went in!
Pedro Obiang
“I think it was the right time to score but everything happened because we defended really well,” said the midfielder. “We kept the game goalless and, in that moment, I saw the possibility to try and I scored, so I was really lucky!
“It was our first shot and that’s because we had to work hard with our defending. It was a tough game for us because we have played many games and we were a little bit tired, so it was more difficult for us to attack.
“What was in my mind? Nothing! Just shoot! I said to myself to try something different, so I did and it went in! I didn’t try that many times, even in training, because usually I try to shoot differently, down low to the corners, but I tried something different.
“I had a chance in an earlier game and didn’t try it, so I thought I’d have a go in this magnificent stadium and it went in! It’s special to score at this important stadium, where many top players have played, so I feel very special to have scored here at Wembley.”
Obiang said West Ham can take pride in their recent improved run of performances and results under David Moyes.
The Hammers have held Arsenal and Tottenham, beaten Chelsea and Stoke City and lost just one of their last seven matches to rise to 15th in the Premier League table.
“One point is good for us, even though we could have taken all three, but something has changed for us.
“We started the season and lost our first three games and we might have lost games like this, but now we have taken four points from our two games this year and we want to keep going in this way.”