Why Nottingham Forest move may be perfect for Taiwo Awoniyi’s growth – Newstrends
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Why Nottingham Forest move may be perfect for Taiwo Awoniyi’s growth

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3 years ago

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Taiwo Awoniyi

The Super Eagles forward is set to complete a move to Nottingham and will become the Reds’ first proof of seriousness on their Premier League return 

For seven years, Taiwo Awoniyi was finding his foot in European football. His move to Liverpool had come as a stroke of the most unimaginable but such was his hard work that the Reds kept tabs with his progress.

He met his heroes in England, wined and dined with them and was offered an opportunity to train with some of the best players in the world. Those moments would have formed a halo for the young Awoniyi at the time – a circle of different lights, and one he would have been desirous of joining if he had his way.

Loan moves took him everywhere, from the Netherlands to Belgium and Germany as he tried to get a break and represent the Nigerian national team. The dream was to represent Liverpool, at the highest level of European football and it came so close yet far away.

Awoniyi would, this time, by the strength of his hard work settle for the lesser Reds, hoping to take the Premier League by storm as they ended their 23-year wait to play in the top flight.

Going by what the attacker has shown at Union Berlin, there’s a clear promise there. When he’s supported and is settled, he can be a real handful. His strengths are as clear as his weaknesses and that eases Steve Cooper’s decision to turn him to an even better spectacle.

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Premier League accommodates surprises 

The Premier League takes no prisoners but attackers with similar profiles as Awoniyi’s have done the spectacular in the league until they can’t dig beyond deep. In Odion Ighalo, there’s an immediate example of what’s possible for an attacker without the glaring eyes.

This first wave is expected of the attacker and it will be an advantage if he pulls it.

In terms of style, there’s no much difference between the Premier League and the Bundelisga but the pressure-intensive style of the English top flight asks begging questions on most days. It has seen forwards from the German league struggle to get going in the Premier League but there has hardly been any as willing to hustle in the box as Awoniyi.

He has shown he can adapt to new systems as long as there’s a cushion behind him to pick the pieces of his heavy work. The quality Liverpool found in him as a raw youngster are still very evident in his game. Not the finest ball player from the technical point of view but his devastation in the box calls for respect.

Improved quality may be an advantage

Like Cyriel Dessers, his Super Eagles teammate rightly pointed out last weekend, Awoniyi’s quality can be judged by the quality of his runs more than the chances he missed.

He was the third player with the highest number of missed chances in the Bundesliga last season according to Whoscored. The first two on the list – Bayern’s Robert Lewandowski and RB Leipzig’s Andre Silva are elite Bundesliga strikers and a glaring example that the Nigerian is in good company. The obvious reason they are there is because they get into good positions and if Awoniyi keeps this an art, he will get enough opportunities and with improved goalscoring, he will only get better. He is young and still improving and Nottingham Forest is just a step on the way to something bigger, in his head.

The aim is to play for the biggest teams in Europe, and that may only happen if he proves the point he desires.

The Reds or The Iron Ones: Something about starting small

In terms of profile, Nottingham Forest are somewhat similar in status and methods to Union Berlin, from a Premier League point of view and if the forward gets anything near the support he got at the German capital, he may be aiming even higher next season.

He, however has many doubts to quash, especially of how he will manage to make his weaknesses less visible and make his strengths count.

With the Reds owner, Evangelos Marinakis putting it all into the project, Awoniyi may just become a part of a beautiful, big presence of small boys in the league. That, however won’t come on a platter of gold, as history has shown. The cities are not usually accommodating for the newbies.

Should Nottingham Forest struggle to sail, as many already expect, the Nigerian forward must swim and use every opportunity he gets to charge for the future.

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Man City secure comeback win at Bournemouth to reach FA Cup semi-finals

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4 hours ago

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March 31, 2025

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Erling Haaland

Man City secure comeback win at Bournemouth to reach FA Cup semi-finals

Erling Haaland and Omar Marmoush kept Manchester City in with a chance of salvaging a trophy from this season as they came from behind to beat Bournemouth 2-1 and reach the FA Cup semi-finals.

Pep Guardiola’s side were trailing to Evanilson’s goal at half-time, after Haaland was guilty of an extraordinary six-minute hat-trick of misses, with Bournemouth looking set for a first appearance in the last four in their history.

But Haaland hauled the visitors level after the break and then, after he departed through injury, his replacement Marmoush tucked away the winner to book a Wembley date with Nottingham Forest.

So for all the talk of a new – or at least new-ish – name on the cup this year, the prospect of City winning it again looms large.

In truth they should have been three up after 16 minutes but for an astonishing treble, of sorts, from Haaland.

The Norway striker wasted his first glorious chance when he met a Matheus Nunes cross with a free header, six yards out, and put it wide.

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Worse was to come for Haaland after Tyler Adams was penalised for handball in the penalty area.

The 24-year-old stepped up to take the spot-kick, but Cherries keeper Kepa Arrizabalaga guessed right and made a fine save low to his left.

And Haaland could do nothing other than offer a wry grin when he completed a his quickfire triple-whammy, bursting clear of down the left only to lift his shot over Kepa and the crossbar.

Bournemouth made him pay in the 21st minute when Nunes gave the ball away to Lewis Cook.

The Cherries skipper fed David Brooks, who swung in a cross which Justin Kluivert, sliding in at the far post, hooked goalwards with Evanilson sticking out a toe to prod it home.

Bournemouth, enjoying such an impressive campaign under Andoni Iraloa, had their tails up while the City midfield of Kevin De Bruyne, Bernardo Silva and Ilkay Gundogan, which looked old on paper, was looking even older on the pitch.

The hosts almost doubled their lead when a Brooks free-kick eluded everybody in the area and bounced inches wide of Ederson’s far post.

But while it was 1-0 City always had a chance, and De Bruyne curled over in first-half stoppage time while Phil Foden briefly flickered into life at the start of the second with a shot held by Kepa.

Plus Haaland was not going to keep missing forever, and just four minutes after the restart he slid in at the far post to convert substitute Nico O’Reilly inviting cross.

It was Haaland’s 30th goal of the season, but he would not be adding any more on the south coast after a challenge with Cook, leading to a close encounter with an advertising hoarding, forced him out injured.

No matter, as his replacement Marmoush immediately fired them ahead, finishing under Kepa after O’Reilly cleverly flicked him in behind.

Marmoush almost doubled the lead but his header from Nunes’ cross was cleared off the line by Marcos Senesi.

But Bournemouth looked spent, a long season of punching above their weight perhaps finally catching up with them, and City saw out seven minutes of stoppage time before celebrating a record seventh consecutive FA Cup semi-final.

Man City secure comeback win at Bournemouth to reach FA Cup semi-finals

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Nigerian boxer collapses, dies in ring during fight in Ghana

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5 hours ago

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March 31, 2025

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Nigerian boxer, Segun ‘Success’ Olanrewaju

Nigerian boxer collapses, dies in ring during fight in Ghana

A  40-year-old Nigerian boxer, Segun ‘Success’ Olanrewaju, has died after collapsing during a boxing match in Ghana.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the former National and West African light-heavyweight champion, was facing Accra-born John Mbanugu, nicknamed “Power” in an undercard bout of Ghana’s Professional Boxing League.

The sad incident occurred at the Bukom Boxing Arena on March 29.

Olanrewaju suddenly fell to the canvas mid-fight, prompting the referee to immediately call for medical assistance.

Medical professionals rushed to the scene but in spite the  attempts to revive him, the boxer was pronounced dead, with reports suggesting he may have suffered cardiac arrest.

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A video of the fight shared on social media showed  both boxers fiercely trading punches before Olanrewaju stumbled and collapsed.

However,  this occurred with only 15 seconds left in the third round of their scheduled eight-round bout.

Olanrewaju, a respected figure in Nigerian boxing, previously held both National and West African light-heavyweight titles.

According to BoxRec Olanrewaju, born in Lagos, had an extensive boxing career, competing in 23 professional fights, securing 13 wins, with 12 coming by knockout.

He suffered eight defeats and recorded two draws in his career.

However, he had been struggling in recent years, suffering four consecutive losses before his tragic death.

His most recent fight was on December 24, 2024, suffering a defeat to Idowu Rasheed at the Campos Mini Stadium in Lagos.

Nigerian boxer collapses, dies in ring during fight in Ghana

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Barcelona go three points clear after beating Osasuna

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3 days ago

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March 28, 2025

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Barcelona go three points clear after beating Osasuna

Barcelona beat Osasuna in their rearranged La Liga fixture to move three points clear at the top of the table.

The game was meant to be played on 8 March but was called off 20 minutes before kick-off after the death of Barcelona’s first-team doctor Carles Minarro Garcia.

Barcelona manager Hansi Flick criticised the timing of this rescheduled match, coming a day after the end of the international break – with 27-goal Raphinha missing out after travelling back from Brazil duty.

“It’s disrespectful to the club to schedule that match on that date, no matter what club it is,” Barca defender Jules Kounde told DAZN.

“I think that beyond the lack of respect for the clubs, it’s a lack of respect for the players, because we have to understand that we’re not machines.”

Kounde played a full 90 minutes plus extra time and penalties in France’s victory over Croatia in the Nations League on Sunday.

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On Thursday, the Catalans were comfortable winners at their temporary Olympic Stadium home.

Ferran Torres slid them into the lead from Alex Balde’s cross.

Dani Olmo then won a penalty after being fouled by goalkeeper Sergio Herrera.

Herrera saved Olmo’s spot-kick – but it had to be retaken because an Osasuna player encroached in the box. Olmo scored the second time around, but in a busy first half later had to be replaced because of injury.

Substitute Robert Lewandowski headed in a third goal to cap a swift counter-attack.

Barcelona, who are three points above Real Madrid and seven clear of Atletico Madrid, are next in action at home to neighbours Girona in La Liga on Sunday.

 

Barcelona go three points clear after beating Osasuna

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