Nigerian international Taiwo Awoniyi, 27, suffered a collision with the goalpost in the 88th minute of Nottingham Forest’s 2-2 draw with Leicester City at the City Ground on Sunday, as he attempted to connect with a cross from Anthony Elanga.
Awoniyi underwent surgery on Monday night and remains hospitalized. The remainder of the procedure is scheduled for completion on Wednesday.
In a statement released Tuesday, Nottingham Forest confirmed that Awoniyi is “recovering well” following the operation.
Having come on as a late substitute for Ibrahim Sangare, Awoniyi received extended medical attention on the field after the incident.
Although Elanga was offside when he received the ball, the assistant referee delayed raising the flag until after Awoniyi’s collision, following current guidelines. Match officials are instructed not to flag immediately in situations where a potential goal-scoring chance is developing, allowing the play to conclude before any intervention.
Should a goal result, the incident is then reviewed by VAR. While this rule aims to preserve scoring opportunities, critics argue it unnecessarily compromises player safety.
After the match, Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis entered the pitch to voice his concern to manager Nuno Espirito Santo regarding the handling of Awoniyi’s injury. He continues to receive updates on the striker’s condition.
On Tuesday, Forest described Awoniyi’s injury as “a powerful reminder of the physical dangers in football and the importance of always prioritizing a player’s health and wellbeing.”
