Awoniyi Discusses Omission from Super Eagles June Friendlies

Taiwo Awoniyi, a striker for Nottingham Forest, confirmed that he held discussions with Super Eagles coach Eric Chell regarding his omission from the squad for the upcoming June friendlies against Poland and Portugal. Awoniyi, who previously featured for Nigeria in October 2024 during a 1-0 win against Libya in the 2025 AFCON qualifiers, expressed disappointment at not being included despite his return to form.

He noted that he played 16 minutes in that match and had earlier appeared in a 1-1 draw against Lesotho in Uyo during Nigeria's unsuccessful 2026 World Cup qualifying campaign. The 28-year-old has missed two consecutive AFCON tournaments and declined the opportunity to stake a claim for a return to the team.

Awoniyi explained that he struggled with fitness issues during the latter part of the previous campaign but bounced back towards the end, helping Nottingham Forest avoid relegation, notably scoring a brace against Chelsea in May. He finished the season with four goals and one assist in 17 appearances.