By Monsurah Olatunji
Nigeria international Ola Aina once again proved to be the hero for Nottingham Forest, playing a pivotal role in their hard-fought 3-2 victory over Southampton at the City Ground.
With the match in stoppage time and 12 minutes of additional time on the clock, Southampton’s Jan Bednarek looked set to score with a powerful header in the 95th minute.
However, Aina’s quick reflexes on the goal line ensured the ball stayed out, keeping Forest in the game and preserving their narrow lead.
This goal-line clearance marks Aina’s second in as many games, with his first coming just days earlier in a 1-1 draw against Liverpool.
His clearance against Mohamed Salah denied the Reds a late winner, securing a crucial point for Forest at Anfield.
Aina’s influence has extended beyond his defensive heroics. In the 41st minute, he delivered a pinpoint cross to Chris Wood, who headed home Forest’s third goal, underscoring Aina’s growing importance in both attack and defense for the team.
Reflecting on the win, Aina expressed his gratitude to the fans: “Another home win with your incredible support,” he posted on his Snapchat.
“I just want to say thank you for everything. Keep sticking with us, keep supporting us—we love you all!”
Nottingham Forest continues to surprise this Premier League season, currently sitting third in the standings with 44 points, level on goal difference with Arsenal.
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.
