Nottingham Forest Give Update On Taiwo Awoniyi’s Injury After Surviving Exeter

Nottingham Forest have confirmed that Taiwo Awoniyi’s injury during their thrilling FA Cup fourth-round win against Exeter City, was not severe even though he was stretched off the field.

Taiwo Awoniyi had a mixed evening, scoring a goal to give Forest the lead in the 37th minute. However, his night took a concerning turn when he was involved in a collision with Exeter goalkeeper Joe Whitworth during stoppage time while contesting a high ball.

The incident occurred when Whitworth attempted to punch the ball clear but inadvertently struck Awoniyi in the face, resulting in visible injury, and needed immediate medical attention. Medical staff from both teams worked quickly on the pitch for about ten minutes before he was stretchered off to applause from the crowd at St James’ Park.

Forest manager Nuno Espirito Santo later indicated that Awoniyi might have sustained a broken nose but reassured fans that he was in good spirits.

“I think he broke his nose, but he’s walking around smiling. He did an amazing job, he did really well today,” the manager noted in a post-match report.

In a positive development, BBC Sport reported that Awoniyi was seen walking unaided from the medical center back to the team’s dressing room.

Despite his injury, the team managed to advance past Exeter, who proved to be a formidable opponent throughout the match.

Exeter took an early lead with a goal from Josh Magennis in the fifth minute, but Forest quickly responded with a goal from Ramon Sosa just five minutes later. Awoniyi’s contribution restored Forest’s lead before halftime, although Exeter’s Magennis equalized shortly after the break.

Exeter faced a setback in the 87th minute when Ed Turns received a straight red card for a foul, which opened the door for Forest to dominate possession and create numerous opportunities. Despite a valiant effort from Exeter and a near miss from Jota Silva, the match went to penalties as neither team could find a decisive goal during extra time.

When it came down to the shootout, Forest displayed composure by converting all four of their penalties, with successful efforts from Chris Wood, Morgan Gibbs-White, Elliot Anderson, and Neco Williams. Exeter, on the other hand, struggled in the shootout, with substitute goalkeeper Matz Sels saving one attempt and another effort from Angus MacDonald striking the crossbar, resulting in a 4-2 victory for Forest.

Forest’s reward for their perseverance is a fifth-round FA Cup match against fellow Premier League side Ipswich Town.