Peter Olayinka has expressed his delight after scoring the decisive goal on his home debut for APOEL FC in Sunday’s hard-fought victory over AC Omonia.
The Nigeria striker, who linked up with the Cypriot giants during the January transfer window, netted the only goal of the encounter in the 81st minute to hand his side all three points.
Reflecting on the performance, Olayinka praised his teammates for their determination and fighting spirit throughout the contest.
“The team fought, we fought from beginning to the end, and I think we deserve the win. I am happy to score this goal and everyone is very excited,” he said.
The Nigerian international also spoke about the electric atmosphere at the stadium, admitting it was a special moment to make his home bow in front of the APOEL faithful.
“It was an incredible atmosphere because this was my first game here on the pitch and I saw the fans come to support, it was a really amazing atmosphere.
“I’ve known APOEL for a long time because I follow the Champions League. I played in Northern Cyprus but I do watch a lot of football and I know about APOEL so it’s a good opportunity for me to come here.”
Olayinka will now hope to build on his impressive start as he continues to settle into life with the Cypriot champions.
Samuel Ahmadu is a distinguished multimedia journalist and women's football expert with over 15 years of experience in the industry. On the back of domestic engagement since 2008, he began his international career journey at Goal.com in February 2014, where he served as an African women's football correspondent for nearly eight years. During his tenure at Goal.com, Samuel covered major events such as three Women's Africa Cup of Nations (2016, 2018, 2022) and the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup in Canada plus 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. His work at Goal.com earned him widespread acclaim, particularly for his in-depth profiles of African football stars, notably Asisat Oshoala, whose rise he documented from her early years to her breakthrough at the FIFA U20 Women's World Cup in 2014. Prior to his role at Goal.com, Samuel freelanced for various print and broadcast media outlets in Nigeria, including Graphics Newspaper, Radio Nigeria, Grace FM, and Savid Newspaper. His extensive experience and expertise led to his appointment to the Nigeria Football Federation's Standing Committee on Women's Football Development from 2016 to 2018. Since February 2018, Samuel has been the Social Media Manager for Nigeria's women's national teams.In 2019, Samuel joined the Confederation of African Football (CAF) as a women's football content contributor and was promoted to Women's Football Editor in 2021. His contributions to women's football continued as he worked as a Media Consultant for Content Creation and Editorials at the 2022 CAF Women's Champions League. Currently, Samuel also serves as the spokesman for the Nigeria Women Football League, further solidifying his influence and dedication to the growth of women's football in Africa.
