Nottingham Forest dedicates West Ham victory to Taiwo Awoniyi

By Monsurah Olatunji

Nottingham Forest dedicated their 2-1 victory over West Ham United on Sunday to Nigerian striker Taiwo Awoniyi, who is recovering from a serious injury sustained in last weekend’s draw against Leicester City.

Awoniyi was rushed for abdominal surgery and placed in an induced coma after a collision with the goalpost during the match.

Forest’s emotional tribute to Awoniyi was visible throughout the game. Morgan Gibbs-White, who scored the opening goal, celebrated by holding up a shirt bearing the name of the Super Eagles forward.

Additionally, the entire squad warmed up in T-shirts emblazoned with Awoniyi’s name and number, alongside the powerful message: “We are all with you Taiwo.”

Reflecting on the challenging week, Gibbs-White shared: “The whole week has been tough on everyone. Wednesday was our first day back, and the place was pretty lifeless.

“Everyone was praying and wishing him well. He’s come round on a good path, we’re all wishing him well, and that win today was for him.”

Forest manager Nuno Espirito Santo also emphasized the emotional significance of the win.

“Since the beginning of our preparations, ‘T’ was on our minds due to the seriousness of the situation. The boys really wanted to do it for him. That was our final words: ‘Let’s give it a push.’ He is someone we admire, his smile is contagious, and the boys did it for him. We are so proud.”

The win pushed Nottingham Forest into seventh place in the Premier League standings, just one point behind fourth-placed Chelsea, whom they will face on the final day of the season.

The victory also intensified the battle for a coveted Champions League spot, with Aston Villa and Chelsea ahead of them.

Samuel Ahmadu

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.

See Full Bio