Nigerian midfielder Ibrahim Olawoyin scored his first goal of the season to lead his side Çaykur Rizespor to a 3-1 win over local rivals Trabzonspor at the Çaykur Didi Stadium on Saturday, www.aclsports.com reports.
Olawoyin was at the right place, at the far post to finish Taha Sahin’s low cross in the 81st minute to give Rizespor a priceless win in the derby against Trabzonspor, and a third win in their last four matches.
The 26-year old Nigerian international returned to a central midfield role on Saturday – after playing as a wide midfielder in his team’s last two games – and he put up a stellar performance to give Rizespor manager Ilhan Palüt a sweet victory ahead of his 48th birthday.
It was the visitors that took the lead in the 21st minute quite deservedly through Bosnian winger Edin Vişca who turned Mithat Pala inside out before hitting home a left footed volley beyond Ivo Grbic.
Rizespor improved significantly after conceding the goal and thought they had equalised in the first minute of first half stoppage time when Dal Varesanovic tapped home from close range but the goal was chalked off after a lengthy VAR check.
If that was controversially disallowed, there was no debate about the equaliser which came two minutes later through midfielder Amir Hadziametovic who fired home from 25 yards after Olawoyin’s cross was headed to his path.
Olawoyin also had a hand in Rizespor’s second goal as they took the lead for the first time in the game against Trabzonspor in the 71st minute . His ferocious left footed effort was blocked with the hand by a Trabzon defender but while the fans screamed for a penalty, the ball fell kindly to Nigerian winger David Akintola who volleyed home from ten yards.
By the time former Rangers International star Olawoyin netted an insurance goal nine minutes from time, it became evident that Trabzonspor would suffer their third league defeat in a row with their less fancied local rivals leapfrogging them on the Turkish Super Lig table.
