Nottingham Forest’s Taiwo Awoniyi suffered a significant facial injury during the recent FA Cup match against Exeter City, leading to a distressing scene on the pitch. The incident occurred towards the end of the fourth-round tie when the 27-year-old striker was accidentally struck in the face while battling for the ball. Exeter City goalkeeper Joe Whitworth’s elbow made contact with Awoniyi, causing blood to stream from his nose.
Awoniyi was clearly in pain and remained on the ground as medical staff rushed to his aid. An ambulance crew quickly arrived to assist, resulting in an 11-minute delay in the match as Awoniyi received treatment. Eventually, he was stretchered off the field, receiving a round of applause from the concerned spectators.
Nottingham Forest released a brief statement expressing their support for Awoniyi, saying, “Our thoughts are with you, T.” Chris Wood was brought on as a concussion substitute to replace the injured striker.
Despite the worrying scene, ITV confirmed that Awoniyi did not require hospitalisation and was taken to the dressing room for further evaluation. He was later spotted walking along the touchline, interacting with fans, which provided some relief about his condition.
Prior to the injury, Awoniyi had made a significant contribution to the match by scoring Nottingham Forest’s second goal. However, the team had initially fallen behind due to an early mistake by Carlos Miguel, allowing Exeter City to take the lead through Josh Magennis.
It is evident that Awoniyi’s injury had a significant impact on the game, but the most important thing is his well-being and recovery. We wish him a speedy and full recovery from this unfortunate incident.
