Nottingham Forest Coach backs Taiwo Awoniyi despite penalty miss

Nottingham Forest coach Nuno Espirito Santo has shown support for striker Taiwo Awoniyi after his penalty miss in their EFL Cup loss to Newcastle United on Wednesday.

Awoniyi, who has struggled with fitness issues since joining Forest from Union Berlin two seasons ago, has faced challenges living up to his reputation due to injuries.

The 27-year-old Nigerian striker, known for his impressive performances in Germany, has seen his starting position taken by English striker Chris Wood because of his fitness problems. Awoniyi began this season on the bench for Forest’s first two Premier League games but was given a starting role in the EFL Cup match against Newcastle.

Unfortunately, Awoniyi couldn’t score during regular time and missed the final penalty in the shootout, leading to Forest’s elimination from the competition. Despite this, Coach Espirito Santo was positive about Awoniyi’s performance, stating that it was important to give him playing time to improve his fitness.

“He played well. It was clear that he was tired towards the end, but he worked hard throughout the game,” Espirito Santo said. “He had a few good chances to score. We want to help Taiwo get back to his best because he has the talent.”

The coach also noted that while the missed penalty was disappointing, the team must move forward and focus on their upcoming Premier League match against Wolverhampton Wanderers at the City Ground on Saturday.