Nigerian midfielder Ibrahim Olawoyin scored a very crucial goal to aid Çaykur Rizespor to a come-from-behind 3-1 win over Gaziantepspor in their Turkish Super Lig encounter on Sunday afternoon, www.aclsports.com reports.
Olawoyin, 26, was starting his twenty-sixth league game of the season as his side welcomed Gaziantepspor to their Çaykur Didi Stadium home ground, hoping to bounce back from the 6-2 drubbing they suffered in the hands of Galatasaray last weekend.
After a goalless first half, Gaziantepspor went in front in the 54th minute through Dejan Sorescu’s emphatic finish after the referee failed to call a foul on Olawoyin in the build-up to the goal.
The hosts sought for an instant response with head coach Ilhan Palut switching to a 442 system, replacing midfielder Muammer Sarikaya with centre forward Adolfo Gaich in the 58th, switching Olawoyin who started as a “Number 10” to the central midfield alongside Jonjo Shelvey.
The equaliser came six minutes later after Gaziantepspor left back Salem M’Bakata diverted into his own goal in a corner kick situation. Rizespor were then presented with a chance to go in front in the 71st minute from the penalty spot but former Liverpool star Shelvey blazed his spot kick off target.
Cometh the hour, cometh the man though as Ibrahim Olawoyin, who by that time had taken the game by the jugular completed the turnaround for Rizespor against Gaziantepspor in the 84th minute. The former Rangers of Enugu star started and completed the move, applying a ferocious header to Altin Zeqiri’s cross, with the ball going in off the inside of the post.
The goal was Olawoyin’s fifth goal of the season and his second in consecutive games after scoring in the loss to Galatasaray last week.
There was still enough time though for Rizespor to get a third goal with the last kick of the game through Zeqiri as the team maintain their seventh position on the Turkish Super Lig log.
