Super Eagles striker Taiwo Awoniyi returned to action for Nottingham Forest as they claimed a hard-fought 2-1 win over Tottenham at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Monday, Soccernet.ng reports.
Super Eagles stars Ola Aina and Awoniyi have been out of action for the last two weeks due to slight injuries. And going unti the game against Spurs, both of them were still doubts.
However, when the team list was announced, Awoniyi was on the bench, while Aina did not make the matchday squad.
Nottingham Forest dominated the early exchanges and looked very dangerous, and they got the opener after just five minutes, courtesy of Elliot Anderson. Just five minutes later, Wood thought he had scored the second, but it was ruled out for offside.
However, Wood got his goal just six minutes later, as he leapt highest to meet a cross from Anthony Elanga and sent a header into the net. After scoring, Forest opted to sit back with the hope of catching Tottenham on the counter. They eventually took the two-goal lead into the break.
In the second half, Tottenham started to dominate the game, but they failed to create enough clear-cut chances. Awoniyi was introduced into the game in the 76th minute in place of Christ Wood, but he did not do a lot of attacking. Instead, he did more defensive work.
Richarlison pulled one back for Tottenham in the 86th minute, setting up a frenetic end to the game. Tottenham pressed hard for the equalizer in the dying embers, but Nottingham Forest held on strong and saw out 2-1 the win.
Nottingham Forest edging closer to Champions League football
With their victory over Tottenham, Nottingham Forest now sit third in the Premier League with 60 points after 33 games. However, they still have a tough battle ahead with five games left to play.
They still face Brentford, Crystal Palace, Leicester City, West Ham, and Chelsea. Aina and Awoniyi will look to end the campaign on a high with the club.
