Super Eagles star Ibrahim Olawoyin found himself at the centre of controversy as Jose Mourinho’s Fenerbahçe staged a dramatic 3-2 comeback against a nine-man Rizespor during their Super Lig clash on Sunday.
A debatable penalty decision against the Nigerian midfielder turned the tide in Fenerbahçe’s favour, sparking outrage and shifting momentum in the high-stakes clash, Footballrover reports.
Super Eagles star’s assist, penalty drama, and costly red card
Rizespor got off to a flying start, stunning the home crowd with two quickfire goals.
Olawoyin played a vital role, assisting Ali Sowe to deliver the opening goal barely 6 minutes into the encounter.
The Gambian forward struck again just seven minutes later, giving Rizespor full control.
However, the game took a controversial turn when Olawoyin received a yellow card in the 22nd minute.
His night went from hero to villain as he was shown a second yellow just before halftime, conceding a penalty in the process.
VAR deemed his contact inside the box enough for a foul, allowing Edin Džeko to convert from the spot and cut the deficit to 2-1.
Mourinho’s Fenerbahçe take advantage as chaos unfolds
Rizespor’s troubles deepened when they were reduced to nine men after Rachid Ghezzal’s sending-off in the 77th minute.
With a two-man advantage, Mourinho’s Fenerbahçe turned up the heat. Džeko found the equaliser in the 79th minute before Youssef En-Nesyri sealed the victory in the dying moments.
The heated officiating decisions have fuelled speculation that they were designed to aid Fenerbahçe’s title chase, as they now sit just three points behind Galatasaray, who have a game in hand.
With tensions running high in the Turkish Super Lig, this match could be a turning point in the race for the championship.
However, reacting to the red card decision, Olawoyin voiced his frustration, questioning the referee’s consistency in enforcing the rules.
“The red card was a very funny card. I fell on the first card, but it was not a deceptive move. The second yellow card was not a penalty. You give a penalty and a red card, so why don’t you look at [Sofyan] Amrabat’s move then?” Olawoyin said, in an interview shared by lemarcaspors.
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