Taiwo Awoniyi Archives - The Athletic NG

Taiwo Awoniyi made a remarkable return from a six-week injury layoff, scoring a goal for Nottingham Forest in their 2-1 loss to Arsenal at City Ground.

Taiwo Awoniyi declares full fitness, ready to return to best for Nottingham Forest

Nottingham Forest striker Taiwo Awoniyi has announced his return to full fitness after an injury-plagued spell, expressing his eagerness to reclaim his...

Super Eagles’ caretaker coach, Augustine Eguavoen, has offered insights into his decision to bench Victor Osimhen and Taiwo Awoniyi during Nigeria’s goalless AFCON 2025 qualifier against Rwanda, as reported by Soccernet.ng. Despite Osimhen being the reigning African Player of the Year, he started the game from the sidelines for the second consecutive match. Eguavoen opted to bring him on as a substitute in the second half, replacing Victor Boniface. Osimhen, who recently joined Galatasaray on loan, struggled to make an impact, unlike his previous game against Benin, where he found the net. Osimhen’s Fitness Concerns In the post-match press conference, Eguavoen explained that his decision was influenced by Osimhen’s fitness issues after a challenging summer, which included a failed transfer to Chelsea and a falling out with Napoli. “Osimhen is our brother, you can’t throw the baby out with the bathwater. We know what he is going through in Napoli. He just moved to Galatasaray and has not been playing active football for a while now,” Eguavoen said. He further emphasized the need to manage Osimhen’s fitness carefully, stating, “We are trying to manage his fitness. He played the last 25 minutes in the previous game, and today we had a word with him that he can’t play 90 minutes or else he will get injured.” Awoniyi and Squad Rotation Eguavoen also addressed his decision to limit Taiwo Awoniyi’s playing time, explaining that squad rotation and player fitness were key factors. “Awoniyi had a few minutes at his club before joining us. We have 23 to 40 players to choose from, but only 11 can start. It’s frustrating, but the bonding is there, and everyone is on board,” Eguavoen remarked. Formation and Tactical Challenges The Super Eagles coach acknowledged the difficulty of making tactical changes given the limited preparation time, having had only a few days of training before facing Benin and Rwanda. “We trained for three or four days before the Benin game and then had to come here. It’s very difficult to change formation,” Eguavoen explained. Confidence in Qualification Despite the challenges surrounding fitness and tactics, Eguavoen expressed confidence in the Super Eagles' ability to secure qualification for AFCON 2025

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Eguavoen reveals why he named Osimhen and Awoniyi on the bench vs Rwanda

Super Eagles’ caretaker coach, Augustine Eguavoen, has offered insights into his decision to bench Victor Osimhen and Taiwo Awoniyi during Nigeria’s goalless...

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Latest News

Taiwo Awoniyi optimistic of Nigeria’s chances against Benin Republic and Rwanda

Nigeria’s Taiwo Awoniyi is optimistic about the Super Eagles’ prospects ahead of their 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifier against Benin...

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Nottingham Forest coach backs Taiwo Awoniyi after penalty miss

Nottingham Forest coach Nuno Espirito Santo has shown support for Taiwo Awoniyi, despite the striker’s penalty miss in their EFL Cup loss...

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Nigerian Players Abroad

Taiwo Awoniyi reports for pre-season with Forest

Super Eagles striker Taiwo Awoniyi has rejoined his Nottingham Forest teammates at their pre-season camp in Spain after a brief period on...

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Taiwo Awoniyi extols Nottingham Forest for escaping relegation

Super Eagles star Taiwo Awoniyi expressed his gratitude to Nottingham Forest after successfully avoiding relegation from the Premier League. The club, despite...

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Nigerian Players Abroad