Soccer
Taiwo Awoniyi of Nottingham Forest celebrates win. Copyright: ImagoxMIxNewsx
Super Eagles striker Taiwo Awoniyi found the net in Nottingham Forest’s 3-0 victory over Blackburn Rovers on Wednesday, Soccernet.ng reports.
Three Super Eagles stars — Ola Aina, Awoniyi, and Ryan Alebiosu — were in action when Forest locked horns at Albufeira on Wednesday.
Aina was in the starting eleven for the Tricky Trees, while Awoniyi started from the bench. Meanwhile, Alebiosu started and played 62 minutes for Blackburn Rovers.
Nottingham Forest were the favourites heading into the fixture, and they were rewarded with a goal in the first half courtesy of Igor Jesus.
In the second half, coach Oliver Glasner introduced Awoniyi into the game, and he made an instant impact. Arnaud Kalimuendo first scored three minutes after the restart.
Then, Nigerian striker Awoniyi got on the end of a low cross from Dan Ndoye after a counter-attack and fired the ball into the bottom-left corner of the goal to make it 3-0.
That strike was the last of the game, as it ended 3-0 after 90 minutes.
Soccer What’s Next For Super Eagles Stars Awoniyi, Aina and Alebiosu?
After this game against Blackburn Rovers, Nottingham Forest still have a handful of pre-season games to play. They take on Portuguese clubs Rio Ave, Vitoria Guimaraes, and Sporting CP. Then, they will face Udinese, Barcelona, Bayer Leverkusen, and Brest.
Awoniyi will be looking to prove to new coach Oliver Glasner that he can lead the line in these games. His future remains in the balance, as with one year left on his contract, there is still the possibility that he will leave The City Ground this summer.
Even Ola Aina doesn’t appear to be safe, as coach Glasner likes to play with flying wingbacks who can offer a lot on both ends of the pitch.
For Ryan Alebiosu, there is also the possibility that he will exit Blackburn this summer. His performances from last season caught the eyes of many clubs across Europe.
With the transfer window still open for the next few weeks, there is the possibility that he will get a new club soon.
Kelvin Omachonu
Kelvin Omachonu is a professional football columnist and sports writer with over half a decade of experience covering major events and delivering captivating, analytically-driven stories.
A graduate of the University of Ibadan, he is fueled by a profound dedication to sports journalism and the beautiful game. His insights have previously been featured in respected outlets, including IndyPress UI, UCJ UI Newshive NG, Sportpremi, and a few others.
Away from work, Kelvin is an avid fan of basketball, enjoys a great movie, and is always discovering new music.
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