Olayinka relives special APOEL goal

Super Eagles forward Peter Olayinka has described his first goal for his new club, APOEL Nicosia, as special after opening his scoring account in the Cyprus top division with a decisive strike that sealed a 1-0 win over rivals Omonia Nicosia in a local derby, THE PRIME NEWS reports.

Olayinka scored in the 81st minute, just 10 minutes after coming on.

The goal marked Olayinka’s first for APOEL since joining the club during the winter transfer window and came in only his second appearance for the Cypriot giants.

It was his first goal since October 2025, when he scored for former club Red Star Belgrade in a 3–0 Serbian league win over Napredak.

The 30-year-old, who had been without a club since ending his contract in Serbia, described his first goal in Cyprus as special.

“Happy to score in a match that means everything for the fans, for the badge, for the team. Always special,” Olayinka wrote on Facebook.

“My first goal for APOEL FC, especially in a key match, is a moment I truly cherish,” he told PUNCH Sports Extra.

“As a new addition to the squad, making an early contribution was important to me, and this pushes me forward.

“I’m thankful for the encouragement from everyone around the club, and I’m excited for what’s ahead.”

For APOEL, the victory was more than three points. It was pride and local supremacy in one of Cyprus’s fiercest fixtures.

The result also moves APOEL above Aris Limassol into fifth place on the league table, giving them momentum as they look to climb higher in the 2025/26 Cypriot league campaign.

Olayinka joined APOEL Nicosia on a free transfer, four months after parting ways with Serbian champions Red Star Belgrade.

The 30-year-old penned a deal that will keep him at the club until May 2026, bringing significant European experience from stints in Albania, the Czech Republic, and Serbia.

Across 364 professional appearances, Olayinka has registered 102 goals and 61 assists prior to making the switch.

He enjoyed his most successful spell at Slavia Prague, where he etched his name into the club’s history books as their highest-scoring foreign player in European competitions. During his time in Prague, he recorded over 50 goals and 26 assists in more than 180 matches, becoming a key figure in their domestic and continental campaigns.