Nigeria international Taiwo Awoniyi returned from an eight-and-a-half-week spell on the sidelines to help Nottingham Forest to an important victory against Sheffield United in the Premier League on Saturday.
Awoniyi hadn’t kicked a ball since early March but made his much-awaited injury comeback as Nuno Espirito Santo’s side came from behind to record a crucial 3-1 win that has now given their survival hopes a huge boost.
Forest went into the game level on points with 18th-placed Luton Town, who had failed to win against Everton on Friday. Knowing that a win would take them three points above the relegation zone, they threw everything at their already-relegated opponents at Bramall Lane.
However, it was the hosts who struck first, with Ben Brereton Diaz opening the scoring after 17 minutes. The goal rattled Forest but they picked themselves up and continued to press until they found a breakthrough 10 minutes later through Callum Hudson-Odoi.
Forest built on their equaliser in the second half and were the better side for large spells before their pressure ultimately paid off in the 51st minute when Ryan Yates turned home Wily Boly’s pass for his first Premier League goal for the club. Hudson-Odoi would put the score line beyond doubt when he scored his second goal and Forest’s third after the hour mark after being set up by Morgan Gibbs-White.
Taiwo Awoniyi’s first appearance in almost two months
By the 80th minute, Forest had gotten the job done and ceded possession to the hosts as they aimed to protect their two-goal lead. Espirito Santo summoned Awoniyi from the bench in the 90th minute, with the Nigeria international making his first appearance in nearly two months.
Awoniyi replaced Chris Wood in the 90th minute but had enough time to make a few touches after the referee added five minutes. The 26-year-old’s last game for Forest came on March 10 when Espirito Santo’s side lost 1-0 on the road to Brighton & Hove Albion.
He went on to miss eight-and-a-half weeks of action, including Nigeria’s international friendlies against Ghana and Mali in March. Awoniyi has played just 18 Premier League matches for Forest this season, but has an impressive return of six goals and three assists.
The striker’s absence saw Forest depend on Chris Wood for goals, and although the New Zealand forward has twice Awoniyi’s number of goals in the Premier League this season, he’s unreliable and often wasteful in front of goal.
Awoniyi’s return a huge boost for Nigeria ahead of World Cup qualifiers
Espirito Santo said ahead of the game against Sheffield United that even a half-fit Awoniyi could help Forest avoid the drop. The former Liverpool and Union Berlin sniper was the team’s main source of goals when they mounted a late charge to survive relegation last season, and his return marks a huge boost to their survival hopes this term too.
Forest’s final two games are against Chelsea and Burnley, but they are now favourites among the other relegation contenders to avoid the drop. While Awoniyi is expected to feature prominently in those two matches, the striker’s return from injury also comes as welcoming news to Nigeria ahead of the resumption of the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers next month.
The Super Eagles have a tough test against rivals South Africa in four weeks’ time before taking on Benin in their next game, as they aim to recover from their poor start to the qualifying campaign after failing to win any of their opening two matches in Group C.
Finidi George’s side occupy the third position in the group, and any further slip-ups could dampen their World Cup qualification hopes.
