Awoniyi shines in milestone 100th outing for Forest as they face Chelsea

Taiwo Awoniyi, Nottingham Forest's prolific striker, celebrated his 100th appearance for the club in style, scoring a brace as Forest pulled off a stunning 3-1 victory over Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on a rare Monday afternoon kick-off, thereby bolstering their chances of avoiding relegation.

n

Awoniyi, making only his second start of the campaign, quickly made his presence felt, scoring with a header from Dilane Bakwa's cross within two minutes of the game's commencement.

n

He then played a crucial role in Forest's second goal, winning a penalty that was successfully converted by Igor Jesus midway through the first half, further solidifying his team's dominance.

n

In the second half, Awoniyi struck again, scoring his second goal of the game by tapping in a low cross from substitute Morgan Gibbs-White, thereby sealing a 3-0 lead for Forest just seven minutes into the half.

n

Chelsea managed to score a consolation goal in stoppage time, courtesy of a spectacular overhead kick by João Pedro, which ended the Blues' drought of over 550 minutes without a league goal, a barren spell that dated back to early March.

n

Awoniyi's impressive brace took his seasonal tally to four goals in 14 games, while Forest's victory ensured they remained 16th on the table with 42 points, a comfortable six points above the relegation zone with three matches left to play.

n

The Nigerian forward's inclusion in the starting lineup was made possible by his exclusion from Forest's Europa League squad, which allowed head coach Vítor Pereira to rely on him, as he made eight changes to the team with Thursday's semi-final second leg against Aston Villa in mind.

n

Interestingly, Awoniyi's only previous start this season had also come against Chelsea in the first leg, and the last time he scored a brace in the Premier League was also against the Blues, on May 13, 2025, when his goals helped lift Forest out of the relegation zone.

n

Awoniyi joined Forest from Union Berlin in the summer of 2022 for a transfer fee of €20.5m, and his debut season remains his most productive, with 10 goals and one assist in 27 appearances.

n

However, recurring injuries limited his output in the 2023/24 and 2024/25 seasons, during which he managed a combined seven goals and three assists in 43 league matches, a significant decline in his productivity.

n

This season, despite limited opportunities, featuring in 14 matches, including 12 substitute appearances, Awoniyi has recorded four goals and one assist, a testament to his enduring talent.

n

Across his four seasons at the club, Awoniyi has made 87 appearances in the Premier League, along with 13 outings in the FA Cup and EFL Cup competitions, establishing himself as a versatile and valuable player.

n

His current contract with Nottingham Forest is set to expire at the end of next season, leaving his future with the club uncertain.