By Wale Mustapha
Nigerian defender Ola Aina has credited Nottingham Forest’s impressive form in the English Premier League (EPL) to the hard work and extra effort put in during training.
Aina played a key role in Forest’s 3-2 victory over Southampton on Sunday, contributing an assist for Chris Wood’s crucial goal, marking his first assist of the season.
The Super Eagles full-back shared his satisfaction with the team’s recent performances, highlighting their determination to maintain their position among the league’s top clubs.
“We are buzzing. Just happy to get the win today, we are working hard every week,” Aina told BBC Radio 5 Live.
“It is showing on the pitch, and to be up there with some of the big boys is a credit to us. We will keep going and take every week as it comes.”
Nottingham Forest’s solid performance has earned them a place in third spot in the EPL standings, with Aina adding that the team’s collective effort is key to reaching their goals.
“Everyone is doing their part to reach our goals. Happy to get an assist for Chris Wood – he keeps scoring, that guy.”
Forest’s continued rise in the league is a testament to their relentless work ethic, as they look to sustain their top-four position moving forward.
Samuel Ahmadu is a distinguished multimedia journalist and women's football expert with over 15 years of experience in the industry. He began his career at Goal.com in February 2014, where he served as an African women's football correspondent for nearly eight years. During his tenure at Goal.com, Samuel covered major events such as three Women's Africa Cup of Nations (2016, 2018, 2022) and the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup in Canada plus 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. His work at Goal.com earned him widespread acclaim, particularly for his in-depth profiles of African football stars, notably Asisat Oshoala, whose rise he documented from her early years to her breakthrough at the FIFA U20 Women's World Cup in 2014. Prior to his role at Goal.com, Samuel freelanced for various print and broadcast media outlets in Nigeria, including Graphics Newspaper, Radio Nigeria, Grace FM, and Savid Newspaper. His extensive experience and expertise led to his appointment to the Nigeria Football Federation's Standing Committee on Women's Football Development from 2016 to 2018. Since February 2018, Samuel has been the Social Media Manager for Nigeria's women's national teams.In 2019, Samuel joined the Confederation of African Football (CAF) as a women's football content contributor and was promoted to Women's Football Editor in 2021. His contributions to women's football continued as he worked as a Media Consultant for Content Creation and Editorials at the 2022 CAF Women's Champions League. Currently, Samuel also serves as the spokesman for the Nigeria Women Football League, further solidifying his influence and dedication to the growth of women's football in Africa.
