Israel’s Zahavi sets single season scoring record for Chinese soccer

Player set to receive $1 million bonus after notching his 29th goal of the year for Guangzhou R&F club

By ToI Staff 2 November 2019, 5:28 am

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Illustrative: Eran Zahavi celebrates after he scored goal during their Euro 2020 group G qualifying soccer match between Latvia and Israel in Riga, Latvia, June 7, 2019. (AP Photo/Roman Koksarov)

Israeli soccer player Eran Zahavi on Friday set a record for scoring the most goals in a single season in China’s soccer league.

Zahavi, who plays as a striker and midfielder, scored his 29th goal of the season for Guangzhou R&F 50 minutes into a game against Beijing Renhe. He will receive a $1 million bonus for the feat, the Walla news site reported.

His team ended up winning the Chinese Super League game 4-1.

He broke a record previously held by Brazilian-born Elkeson de Oliveira Cardoso.

Zahavi has scored 301 career goals in his professional career. He is 38 goals behind Alon Mizrahi, Israel’s all-time leading scorer, and will likely surpass Mizrahi’s record.

https://youtu.be/vlUGDdHG1Ec?t=198

In 2017, Zahavi was named the most valuable player in the Chinese league after finishing the season as its top goal scorer. He scored 27 goals that season.

Zahavi has a $7 million a year contract with the club until 2020.

Prior to China, Zahavi spent most of his career in Israel, except for an unsuccessful spell in Italy at Palermo, where he scored only twice in two years before moving to Maccabi Tel Aviv in 2013.