English Premier League
Taiwo Awoniyi closes in on Haaland record after Nottingham Forest matchwinner
By Wale Mustapha
Nigeria striker Taiwo Awoniyi scored the decisive goal to help Nottingham Forest record a vital 1-0 win at Southampton on Wednesday.
The encounter at St Andrew’s Stadium was Matchday 18 of the English Premier Premier which also see Forest out of the relegation spot for the first time this season.
The Nigerian striker reached to the end of a brilliant cross from Brennan Johnson to record his third goal of the campaign after both players pressured the ball off Southampton defender and set up a perfect counter attack.
The Tricky Tree held on to the lead till end of first half despite a surge from the hosts who went close to getting the equalizer from Che Adams and Ward Prowse.
Nottingham faced more pressure in the second half as they have to defend their goal for most part of as the hosts throng forward on various occasion.
However, Steven Cooper set out a disciplined Forest side to ward off the pressure and condemned Southampton to their sixth consecutive defeats in the Premier League.
With his goal, Awoniyi became only the second player behind Erling Haaland to score the opening goal in more different Premier League games.
4 – Only Erling Haaland (5) has scored the opening goal in more different Premier League games this season than Nottingham Forest’s Taiwo Awoniyi (4). Fox. – OptaStat
It was also Awoniyi second goal in two consecutive games for the Forest and the victory has also pushed Cooper side up to 15th on the log with 17 points from 18 league games.
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