Olawoyin scores late winner in crucial Rizespor win

Ibrahim Olawoyin scores late winner in crucial Rizespor win…

Nigerian star, Ibrahim Olawoyin scored a late winner as Çaykur Rizespor recorded a crucial comeback win over Bodrumspor in the Turkish Lig One on Sunday afternoon.

Having missed last weekend’s game due to card suspension, Olawoyin was thrown straight into the starting lineup for the crucial fixture against Bodrumspor at the Bodrum Ilçe Stadium.

After a cagey first half which ended scoreless, both teams upped the ante in the second half and the hosts went in front in the 59th minute in fortuitous fashion; Celal Dumanli charging down on Rizespor goalkeeper Zafer Gorgen’s clearance which cannoned off the attacker and into the net.

Rizespor head coach Bülent Korkmaz rang the changes just after the hour mark, replacing some of the team’s most experienced stars; Yannick Bolasie, John Mary and Okechukwu Azubuike. He got the response he wanted however late it was.

It was Olawoyin who provided a pin-point cross from the right wing in the 85th minute which substitute Benhur Keser glanced home for a deserved equaliser for Rizespor after a spell of domination.

With the game looking certain to end in a stalemate, the visitors struck the winner deep into stoppage time. After another substitute Kubilay Kanatsızkuş had flicked the ball onto the path of Keser, the winger saw his well struck effort denied by Bodrumspor goalkeeper Diogo Sousa but Olawoyin was on hand to head home into an open net.

The late winner was Olawoyin’s sixth goal of the campaign while the assist for the leveller was his eighth for the season. The win also propelled Rizespor to 5th on the log, two points above Bodrumspor who are directly below them on the table.

Olawoyin and his Rizespor teammates will continue their fight for promotion back to the Turkish Super Lig when they host Altay next Saturday at the Çaykur Didi Stadium in Rize.