Ayo Obileye’s 89th Minute Goal Saves Livingston From Home Defeat

Livingston of Scotland defender, Ayo Obileye was his side’s hero in their Scottish Premiership clash with visiting Ross County, as he struck a crucial equaliser with just 60 seconds to the final whistle.

Just as the visiting side, who benched Joseph Hungbo for 90 minutes, were thinking of snatching a handsome away win, Obileye headed in a deserved late equaliser for Livingston in their bottom-six cinch battle.

Megasportsarena.com reports that the defender over celebrated and got a yellow card, after he found the net in the 89th minute to cancel out David Cancola’s sublime first-half opener for the visitors.

The entertaining second half was in stark contrast to a dire opening 45 minutes, but both teams also hit the woodwork following the restart, including a stoppage-time Jason Holt strike.

Half-chances came and went in the first half and there appeared little sight of a goal as the break approached, but Cancola had other ideas as the visitors stormed ahead.

The Austrian took a great touch 30 yards out from a poor James Penrice clearance before curling a superb shot into the top corner, despite goalkeeper Max Stryjek getting a hand to the effort.

Livingston got bodies forward straight from the restart but were nearly caught on the counter-attack.

Blair Spittal found Regan Charles-Cook and the winger ran at Penrice before getting a shot away from 20 yards that was well saved by Stryjek.

Livingston defender Jack Fitzwater headed over before then doing the same thing again from a Stephane Omeonga cross moments later as the home side piled on the pressure.

At the other end, Obileye made what appeared to be a goal-saving block as he slid in on Jordan White’s close-range effort.

Obileye then got on the end of another Forrest cross in the 77th minute but glanced his effort wide from six yards.

Ross County substitute Ross Callachan struck a post from a tight angle after Stryjek raced off his line to challenge White for a high ball.

It was end to end at this stage and Forrest struck a rising left-footed drive inches over but the equaliser finally arrived in the 89th minute through Obileye, the defender heading in Penrice’s deep cross at a congested back post.

At the end of proceedings, the draw keeps Livingston five points clear of County in the relegation play-off spot but, had The Staggies held on, they would have climbed up to 10th at Dundee’s expense.

December 19, 2021 at 01:40PM