Super Eagles forward Peter Olayinka has taken the path of France legend zinedine Zidane by headbutting an opposition plauer. NPFL Updates exclusively reports.
French legend, Zidane in a FIFA World Cup final match in Berlin, Germany, was caught by match official as he head-butted Italian defender Marco Materazzi.
Similarly, on Saturday in a Fortuna Liga fixture, away at Slovan Liberec, Olayinka head-butted an opposition defender after an altercation ensued between the two teams.
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He was subsequently given the marching orders shortly before the stoppage time.
Liberec took the lead in the 26th minute, when Lukas Cerv scored from a deflection off defender Igoh Ogbu.
Olayinka almost immediately equalised in the 30th minute.
Slavia took the lead in the second half through a penalty kick. Olayinka was brought down in the box by Gigli Ndefe; Mick Can Buren converted from 12 yards.
Shortly after Olayinka was sent-off, Nigerian forward in Liberec’s team, Victor Olatunji scored to rescue a point for his side with just five minutes to time.
Reacting to the unsportsmanlike action, Slavia Coach, Trpisovsky said it will be dealt with clearly.
Why Olayinka headbutted opponent player:
“We will deal with clearly,” he told club’s official website.
“It was when we were leading 2-1, there is no reason for such a reaction.
“In addition, he was one of the best and most active players in the match, on the other hand, we should have an overview and finish it differently.
“There was no reason for such a reaction, whether he was fouled or not. That is a question, a matter for judgement, but he cannot react like that. It’s one thing that he sent us into, which caused how we finished. Another thing is that we will miss him in the next games.
“It’s an incomprehensible short circuit that has never happened to him in the entire five years he’s been here.
“We will definitely deal with it with him. I wonder what the reason is that he reacted like that in the first place.”
The 27-year-old has scored 10 league goals with five assists in 18 league appearnces this season.
