By Daily Sports Nigeria on May 19, 2025

Nottingham Forest boss Nuno Espirito Santo dedicated the crucial 2-1 win at West Ham on Sunday to Taiwo Awoniyi as the striker recovers from his horror injury.

Awoniyi was rushed for abdominal surgery and placed in an induced coma after colliding with a goalpost in last weekend’s draw against Leicester.

The 27-year-old Nigerian on Sunday said he feels lucky to be alive, writing on Instagram: “With the grace of God, I am grateful to still be here, to still be fighting, to still be smiling, and to be in good spirits.”

Forest’s players warmed up at West Ham wearing shirts with Awoniyi’s name and number nine on the back, with a message on the front reading, “we’re all with you Taiwo”.

Morgan Gibbs-White then held up Awoniyi’s shirt to the crowd after opening the scoring in a victory that kept alive Forest’s hopes of qualifying for the Champions League.

“The whole week has been tough on everyone. Wednesday was our first day back in and the place was pretty lifeless, everyone was praying and wishing him well,” Gibbs-White said.

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

Nuno added: “Since the beginning of our preparations ‘T’ was on our minds due to the seriousness of the situation, and 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.”

Nikola Milenkovic added Forest’s second goal, and although Jarrod Bowen pulled one back, the visitors held on to set up a last-day showdown with fourth-placed Chelsea the City Ground.

Seventh-placed Forest are one point adrift of the top five places that guarantee Champions League qualification.

They need a slip from fifth-placed Aston Villa and sixth-placed Manchester City, plus a win against Chelsea, to reach Europe’s elite club competition for the first time since 1980-81.

“I think since the beginning of the season we wanted to be in this fight, we achieved it, the last game at the City Ground will be huge for us and we are trying to make something magical,” Nuno said.

The match took 112 minutes and 55 seconds, thanks largely to a six-minute VAR review of Milenkovic’s goal.

At one point referee Sam Barrott went to the touchline to talk to both managers, while the PGMOL later explained that the semi-automated offside technology was “not available” and that there were also issues with the VAR communications to the onfield officials.

Second-half stoppage time lasted almost 17 minutes, with Nuno admitting: “I was just hoping the game would end.

“The referee explained to us there was a problem with the connection to Stockley Park.”

Source Punch Ng

Posted May 19, 2025

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