Europa League: Slavia Prague manager hails Peter Olayinka after display

Slavia Prague manager Jindrich Trpisovsky has showered praises on Peter Olayinka after the Super Eagles attacker scored the only goal that handed his side victory over German side Bayer Leverkusen at the Sinobo Stadium.

Czech Republic’s Slavia Prague defeated Bayer Leverkusen 1-0 in the Europa League on Thursday, thanks to the club’s Nigerian import who bagged the game’s winning goal after coming on as a substitute.

Following Slavia’s 3-1 defeat to Israeli side Hapoel Be’er Sheva on matchday one last week, only a win would do on the Czech Republic club’s first home game in the Europa League this term.

But beating a Bundesliga outfit is never an easy task for any club, much less a free-scoring Leverkusen side that thrashed Ligue 1 side Nice 6-2 last Thursday and followed that victory with another excellent 3-1 win over Augsburg at the weekend.

But with the game at the Sinobo Stadium deadlocked at 0-0 for 80 minutes, Olayinka, who had started on the bench and was introduced after the hour-mark, glanced home a fine header off a Nicolae Stanciu assist.

Delighted Slavia Prague boss Trpisovsky has poured encomiums on the Nigeria international, offering insights into why the 24-year-old attacker did not start the match at Sinobo Stadium.

“I must say thanks to Peter Olayinka. Normally he would play in the starting eleven, but he wasn’t ready after his recovery from Covid,” Trpisovsky said in a post-match conference.

“He is the hero of the game for me, he sacrificed for the team, he came on the pitch to help us. We need players like him.”

Olayinka played an influential role last season, scoring four goals in 20 league games, to help Slavia Prague lift the 2019/20 Czech Liga title.

The former Gent forward has already found the back of the net twice in eight matches across all competitions this term.