Crvena Zvezda were held to a 1-1 draw by Lech Poznan in the second leg of the Champions League third qualifying round.
Both goals came in stoppage time — Cherif Ndiaye’s first-half penalty, and Mikael Ishak’s late equalizer for Lech Poznan.
Nigeria international Peter Olayinka stood out in the second leg. The striker didn’t have much impact in the first leg but made his presence known in the return fixture.
Olayinka played 75 minutes and won the penalty that gave Crvena Zvezda their only goal of the game.
Olayinka is already regaining fitness. He has featured in the last three matches for the Serbian side — two as a substitute and one as a starter.
His game time has been limited this season as he is still recovering from an Achilles tendon rupture that saw him miss 209 days of action last season, including 35 matches.
With a 4-2 win on aggregate, the Serbian side will face Cypriot club Pafos in the final Champions League qualifying round.
If Crvena Zvezda beat Pafos, it will be the third consecutive time the club has qualified for the Champions League group stage.
The club has played seven games across all competitions this season. They currently sit at the top of the Serbian league with three wins from three matches and a goal difference of +11.
His career has been affected by long spells on the sidelines due to injuries. The 29 year old has spent 539 days on the sidelines and has missed 107 career games due to issues relating to injury or fitness problems.
He hasn’t been called up to the Nigerian national team since 2020. Olayinka has only played for Nigeria four times.
