Super Eagles striker, Taiwo Awoniyi has been sidelined with a long term injury which will see him miss the Africa Cup of Nations in Cote D’Ivoire in January.
Awoniyi’s injury update was confirmed by his Nottingham Forest manager, Steve Cooper in a press statement ahead of the return of club football this weekend.
The Super Eagles striker featured for about an hour in Nigeria’s 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier against Lesotho on November 16 before he was substituted.
Steve Cooper has now confirmed that Awoniyi who has 4 goals in 11 appearances this season for the club will be out for months having picked up an aggravated groin injury.
According to Cooper;
“It’s bad news on Taiwo, he’s had to have surgery and he is going to be out for months.”
“We’ll support him and try to get him back as quick and as fit as he can be, but it’s a really unfortunate situation and a blow for him.”
“He’s become an important player for us with the goals he’s scored and the goals he will score for us, but he’s such a good guy and a good professional who is desperate to do well, so to get an injury like this is harsh on him.”
“We’ve got to support him through the process of coming back stronger. He’s done that once before here and I’m sure he will give everything again like he did last time.”
“You think about how well he did when he returned last season, I’m sure that’s given him a good reference point to come back to.”
“We’ll definitely see him again this season, but it’s groin surgery so it will take a little while.”
Awoniyi was at the last edition of the Africa Cup of Nations in Cameroon where he scored once in three appearances as the Super Eagles crashed out in the second round after a narrow loss to Tunisia.
