Despite netting two goals in Nottingham Forest’s 2-2 draw away to Chelsea, Taiwo Awoniyi has attributed his goal scoring setback to injury.
The Super Eagles striker hailed the coaching staff and his teammates for sticking to the plan as Forest fought back to draw 2-2 against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge.
Awoniyi gave Forest the lead in the capital when he rose highest to head in from Renan Lodi’s cross on 13 minutes, but The Reds found themselves behind early in the second half when a quick fire Raheem Sterling brace turned the game on its head.
Forest fought back and found a rapid response, with Awoniyi on hand to convert Orel Mangala’s cross for the equaliser and his fourth goal in two games.
After his two goals earned Forest a hard-fought point at Stamford Bridge, the striker spoke post-match and praised the unity within the squad.
“To be honest, the injury was a setback as that was the time I thought I was getting going.
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“Like I said though, if you have an injury, if you’re not playing or if you’re on the bench, all you can do is work hard.
“All the goals that are coming now are just a way of showing how hard I have worked. For me, the most important thing is that I believe in God, and he’s always behind me in everything I do.
“The goals aren’t coming if my teammates aren’t giving me the chances, it’s a collective idea and collective work together. We are getting there and now we have two more finals to go,” he said.
He however, lauded the team’s character: “With the way the manager and the staff conduct the team and the togetherness we have, this game shows how united we are.
“As a player, you can’t give up. You have to keep on giving everything no matter the situation, if you’re playing or not, if you’re on the bench, you just have to work hard and keep on believing.”
He admitted that the fans’ support played a major impact in their performance: The spirit that keeps us going comes from the fans.
“For me, this is something dear to my heart. The energy they bring and everything they give to us, I just want to say thank you to them.”