Tag: Awoniyi

Nigeria U-23 international, Taiwo Awoniyi made his competitive debut for NEC Nijmegen in their 4-0 loss to PSV Eindhoven in the Dutch Eredivisie on Saturday.

The Liverpool loanee had a chance to open his account when he was put through on goal by Quincy Owusu-Abeyie only for goalkeeper Jeroen Zoet to stop him, otherwise he was kept quiet by the PSV defenders.

The visitors opened scoring in the fourth minute and were four-up inside 25 minutes, thanks to goals from Pereiro, de Jong and Brenet.

Awoniyi was replaced by German defender Heinloth with 12 minutes remaining, as coach Peter Hyballa wanted to prevent further damage after an offensive approach in the first 45 minutes.

After five rounds in the Dutch top flight, NEC are 12th with five points accumulated.

TAIWO  Awoniyi and Sodiq Popoola have declared their ambition to shine at this year’s Suwon Invitational tournament with Nigeria U-23. The duo revealed that they are in the Asian nation to impress and help the team.

“We want to succeed as a team in Korea and show the world that we can achieve glory in Brazil. Personally, I have a big task on me and that is to prove to the coach and fans that I deserve to be in Rio,” Awoniyi told Goal.

For Poopola, he said: “I’m here to help my team win the Suwon tournament and hope to give my best to the country. Been at the Olympics remains my biggest dream. And this is where I have to prove it,”

The duo will be hoping to earn a starting place against hosts South Korea at the Suwon World Cup Stadium today before taking on Honduras and Denmark.

The German Bundesliga 2 club of Taiwo Awoniyi FSV Frankfurt have been relegated and the Liverpool loanee will therefore have to quit the club.

Frankfurt won their final game of the season 2-1 at home against 1860 Munchen, but it was not enough to save them from the dreaded drop.

They finished on 32 points to be second from bottom and allowing MSV Duisburg, who also finished on 32 points, to qualify for the relegation playoffs.

Awoniyi has already made it clear he will not stay back at the club should they be relegated. He will most certainly return to Liverpool and could then go on loan to another club next season.

Nigeria U23 star Taiwo Awoniyi scored his first goal for German Bundesliga 2 side FSV Frankfurt in a 2-2 draw at FC Heidenheim on Friday.

FSV Frankfurt are 14th on the table with 29 points from 27 games.

The Liverpool loanee opened the scoring in the 22nd minute to give his side a 1-0 lead when he connected Perdedaj pass inside the box.

Awoniyi was denied a second goal in the 38th minute by timely intervention of a Heidenheim defender who cleared the danger.

The young striker, who is on loan from Liverpool till the end of the season, had before now made five appearances for Frankfurt without finding the back of the net.

This week he promised to change things and it will be a massive boost to his self-belief heading into Thursday’s friendly against Brazil’s Olympic team.

On a typical day, what  you see on Taiwo Awoniyi’s BlackBerry personal message or display picture  may not be far from this: ‘If I don’t believe in everything …I believe in  God’ or better still; ‘you may see my struggle but I will never quit, time will tell because my God is able.’

Indeed, Awoniyi would be the first to admit that it’s God over everything on his career from the dusty streets in Ilorin before springing to world acclaim two years ago at the FIFA Under-17 World Cup where he shone with the Golden Eaglets like the neon light in the dark by scoring four goals which helped Nigeria to her fourth title at the global cadet championship.

Since 2013, Awoniyi’s career has been on the rise. His goals helped the Flying Eagles to a gold-rious finish at the 2015 African Under-20 Nations Cup in Senegal Eagles and were also part of the team futile bid to annex the FIFA Under-20 World Cup in New Zealand.  In spite of the Flying Eagles’ relative success in New Zealand, Awoniyi’s potentialities was there for all to see and he was soon on his way to England to append his signature  for top English Premier League side, Liverpool Football Club.

Born August 12, 1997, Awoniyi’s style is already being compared to that of Rashidi Yekini, Nigeria’s all-time highest goal-scorer. In 2010, he was voted the Most Valuable Player at a Coca-Cola football competition in London. His performance at the competition was spotted by Seyi Olofinjana who made him join Imperial Soccer Academy from his grassroots team, United Academy Football Club in Ilorin.

In his most revealing interview yet since moving to England in August where he has now been farmed to FSV Frankfurt in the 2.Bundesliga, the Nigerian sensational youth international admitted his career beats the imagination. By coincidence, he will also be flying the country’s flag at the Africa U-23 Cup of Nations, Senegal 2015, which serves as the qualifying tournament or Rio 2015 Olympic Games starting this weekend.

“All praises and honour to God, the Almighty because him alone made it possible for me to be where I’m today,” Awoniyi said in his usual humble hue. “I have strong faith in life that anything whatsoever that happens to us is destined and ordained by God, so I will just say that signing for Liverpool was where God has destined for me and that is the only reason I can attribute to it.”

Before now, Awoniyi had squealed about some of the things he would love to do in the future: “There are many ways one can work for God and not only by preaching but in so many other ways.

“I’m an easy going fellow whose ambition and dream is to work for in God all through my lifetime. It is not about being a pastor but I guess, he who puts his trust and hope in God alone has it all.

“Yes, I would like to have a charity foundation in the future. But I do things one at a time because the scriptures say think not of what tomorrow holds since it’s going to take care of itself.

“Everything’s lies in the hands of God and if am giving the grace to (have a charity organisation) I will surely do so in the future,” he noted, even as he speaks on sundry issues with MORAKINYO ABODUNRIN.

People behind the scenes

A lot of people have helped me along the way but I want to acknowledge the roles played in my life by coach Abdulrasaq Olojo who I consider as a father and my entire teammate and childhood friends at United Academy Football Club in Ilorin.  Also my academy director,  Mr. Seyi Olofinjana,  and his partner, Bankole Atiba .Special thanks to my pastors and  the entire members of the Christ  Apostolic  Church  Redeemers Chapel  In Ilorin; my wonderful parents, my brothers and my darling twin sister,  Kehinde Awoniyi . I’m also grateful to coach Manu Garba, Nduka Ugbade, Emmanuel Amuneke and Emeka Amadi and the entire back room staff of the 2013 Golden Eaglets’ World Cup-winning team as well as that of the national Under-20 team. I would also like to acknowledge the efforts of Mr. Siji Lagunju who groomed most of us, including Kelechi Iheanacho, Chidera and many others from our days at the national Under-15 level. I would also say a big thank you to the national under-23 coach, Samson Siasia, and the backroom staff that have all assisted me in one way other. There are so many other people that I can’t even remember but I’m grateful to all of them right from my days in the grassroots days to the national team set up. A very big thank you also to my state’s Kwara Football Association for and others like Mr. Haruna Ilerika, Mr. Bako and several others who have helped me along the way.

Fondness for Liverpool

It is a dream place that I’ve always loved to be. Being signed by a club in England, especially by Liverpool, was destined by God. I want to thank God for the opportunity and I believe this is the right place for me  since this is a club that developed and brought out young talents with the likes of Raheem Sterling,  Coutinho  and I believe with God’s help I will get the opportunity one day also.

I have been expecting this question (the kind of feelings I had the day I signed for Liverpool) but I

was just looking at my dad and Mr. Seyi Olofinjana and his partner, and I was giving  thanks to God. I asked myself: ‘Is this really me that all of this was happening to?’  I felt very much privileged to have signed for Liverpool.

I really have to thank God because a lot was said about Seyi Olofinjana on the social media that he was fraudulent  and was sorry that people spoiled his name and I really thank him for helping  me out.

Settling down in  Frankfurt

It’s been great coming down to Frankfurt so that I can learn more and improve my game. The people generally and my teammates have been wonderful. This is a nice place with great and a more experienced player to learn from; the coach is also wonderful and has been trying to bring out the best in me. I’m  also learning from the senior and more experienced players I met here. I was involved in a cup game recently but we lost 2-1 . I’m enjoying my time here and most people have told me about our great player, Okocha, when he played here with Eintracht Frankfurt. Luckily for me,  I met him when he came to Frankfurt recently. I was really lucky to meet him at the dinner.  I walked to him and greeted him. He said he was told about me and he advised I should keep my head down and believe with God and hard work, all things will be easy for me.

My favourite players

I have always liked skilful players especially strikers like Nwankwo Kanu, Thierry Henry, Ibrahimovic and, of course, Jay-Jay Okocha. They are all lovely to watch and usually feel happy when watching some of these great players. I really like Okocha when I watch the tape of the match between Nigeria and Cameroon when he scored a free kick in the dying minute (2000 African Cup of Nations final match in Lagos). I think he had special skill.

Under-23 Championship

We pray it is going to be a great tournament for us in Senegal; all of us have to put in our best so that we can get one of the tickets for the Olympic Games in Brazil. We are going to take every game seriously and I believe God will help us.

Greatest fear

My parents and my grassroots coach used to tell me ‘never to let go of God because once that happens, nothing else will follow than for him to leave you and then you are on your own.’ So, I don’t want to do anything to lose God’s favour.

My future

God alone knows what the future holds but I believe with hard work and faith, it will be what God has destined for me in a positive way. Members of my family give me joy and they have been the pillars behind my success; they are wonderfully made people for me by God.

What can make you cry?

We only give thanks to GOD because in all things, we should give thanks.  God is leading me to where he wants me to be.  I’m happy for my friend, Kelechi Iheanacho, and I’m not surprised that he has settled down at Manchester City because he is someone I have been with right from time.

He used to be my roommate while we were in the U-17 and U-20. Of course, there is always something new to talk about and share with the fans but I will just leave with one, which is: ‘In all things with GOD, all things are possible and he alone does things at his own time.’

Taiwo Awoniyi is returning to Senegal, where in March he helped Nigeria clinch the 2015 African Youth Championship, with the target of getting the goals to qualify the country for next year’s Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.

“Qualifying for the Rio Olympics is non-negotiable as we have no excuse to give Nigerians, that’s why we have to put in our best to get something out of Senegal,” declared Awoniyi ahead of Nigeria’s opening Group B match against Mali Sunday evening in Mbour.

Earlier this year, the 18-year-old gangling centre-forward scored thrice as Nigeria’s Flying Eagles clinched a record seventh AYC in Dakar.

His goals and combination play with midfielder Ifeanyi Matthew was the talk of the continental U-20 tournament and further underlined his undoubted class.

He was the official Man of the Match award winner in the group game against hosts Senegal and Congo.

The Liverpool loanee, who is armed with a great hold-up play upfront and good positioning, will now hope to reproduce such form back in Senegal nine months after.

The Ilorin-born player, who has been widely compared to the legendary Rashidi Yekini, has already proved his worth with the U-23s when he helped them eliminate Zambia for the All Africa Games in Congo Brazzaville with two goals in the return leg after the Dream Team VI were held in Abuja.

However, his move to English Premier League outfit Liverpool meant he was not available for the AAG finals, where Nigeria finished third. He has proved to be a striker, who has always risen to the occasion beginning at the 2013 U17 World Cup, where he scored four goals and provided four assists when he deputized for the injured Isaac Success.

Reports suggest that Awoniyi will play a bigger role for struggling German Bundesliga 2 side, FSV Frankfurt in the second round of the season in January as he is yet to make his league debut for them after appearances in cup and friendly games.