WATCH: Grateful Lyle Foster on first goal
|Published
Up and running: SA’s Lyle Foster.Picture credit: Ian Hodgson
Bafana Bafana ace Lyle Foster is hartseer his first Premier League goal didn’t come with a win.
The 22-year-old Burnley striker became the first South African to score in the English top flight for almost 10 years after Steven Pienaar’s October 19, 2013 goal for Everton against Hull and also the 10th Mzansi-born player to find the net in England’s top flight.
Foster showed his strength to hold off his defender and smashed a dropping ball on the turn into the Aston Villa goal.
It ends in defeat. pic.twitter.com/UvgdKpCp2F
— Burnley FC (@BurnleyOfficial) August 27, 2023
But he and his promoted English Championship still lost 3-1 - their second defeat in their two games to date after a 3-0 opening-night loss to champions Manchester City.
Of his goal, Foster says: “I am very grateful to get my first goal and open my account in the Premier League. It doesn’t taste as sweet as I would have liked, but I’m really happy to get my first goal in the top-flight.
A first @premierleague goal for Lyle! 🌟 pic.twitter.com/RWAB2JRLkj
— Burnley FC (@BurnleyOfficial) August 28, 2023
“It was a difficult game against a very good side. We tried to assert ourselves and we had moments in the game where we tried to do that.”
His coach, Prem legend Vincent Kompany, believes Foster is just getting started after scoring the club’s first goal of the campaign ahead of Wednesday’s all top-flight League Cup second-round against Nottingham Forest.
Lyle reflects on a bittersweet afternoon 🎬 pic.twitter.com/lg8QoL7Knq
— Burnley FC (@BurnleyOfficial) August 27, 2023
Kompany adds: “We can’t forget his age, he’s still fairly young. For him we’re obviously really pleased, but for the team the reward will be the first time we win a game.”