National Teams
Injury forces Awoniyi out of Nigeria friendly against Saudi Arabia, Mozambique
By Wale Mustapha
Nottingham Forest striker, Taiwo Awoniyi has been added to the growing list of players that will miss Nigeria’s friendly matches against Saudi Arabia and Mozambique later this month due to injuries.
Awoniyi was among the 23 names announced by Nigeria Football Federation that will prosecute the two tune games which Coach Jose Peseiro intend to use as assessing his team ahead of next year’s African Cup of Nations.
The former Union Berlin forward suffered a groin injury in Nottingham’s previous game against Brentford and was unable to pass the fitness assessment for their Saturday match against Crystal Palace.
Latest information coming from the City Ground have it that the 2013 Under 17 World Cup winner will be staying longer on the sidelines which will see him missing Nigeria’s match with the Green Falcons of Portugal slated for Portugal next week and the game against Mozambique three days later.
Awoniyi has been Nottingham Forest’s top scorer since the closing stages of last season as he has notched up nine goals in the last seven outings.
The Super Eagles are having fitness concerns on a number of first team players heading to the international break with Awoniyi joining Ola Aina on the sidelines.
The trio of Semi Ajayi, Calvin Bassey and Jordan Torunarigha just recovered from injuries and it remain to be seen if they will be released by the respective clubs.