Awoniyi Undergoes Surgery, Set To Miss AFCON

Super Eagles and Nottingham Forest forward, Taiwo Awoniyi, has undergone groin surgery and could miss out on next year’s African Cup of Nations. AFCON, set to take place in Côte d’Ivoire.
Nigeria was drawn into Group A alongside host Côte d’Ivoire, Equatorial Guinea, and Guinea-Bissau.
Nottingham Forest coach Steve Cooper stated in a press conference ahead of his side’s Premier League fixture against Brighton and Hove Albion on Saturday that Awoniyi will be out for months due to an aggravation of a groin injury he picked up in October.
His words: ”It’s bad news on Taiwo, he’s had to have surgery and he is going to be out for months.
“We’ll support him and try to get him back as quick and as fit as he can be, but it’s a really unfortunate situation and a blow for him.
“He’s become an important player for us with the goals he’s scored and the goals he will score for us, but he’s such a good guy and a good professional who is desperate to do well, so to get an injury like this is harsh on him.
“We’ve got to support him through the process of coming back stronger. He’s done that once before here and I’m sure he will give everything again like he did last time.
“You think about how well he did when he returned last season, I’m sure that’s given him a good reference point to come back to.
“We’ll definitely see him again this season, but it’s groin surgery, so it will take a little while.”
The 2023 AFCON tournament will be held from January 13 to February 11, 2024.
Meanwhile, the continuous poor performances of Super Eagles goalkeeper, Francis Uzoho have continued to baffle a lot of Nigerians who watch in awe the gradual degeneration of the national team into a whipping lot.
Nigeria was absent at the Qatar 2022 FIFA World Cup when the Super Eagles failed to beat Ghana in Abuja in April 2022. In that match, Uzoho was in goal when a Thomas Partey long-range shot sailed into the net.
Although the Super Eagles drew level, that was not enough as they needed an outright win over the Black Stars to qualify. Still pained by the absence of Nigeria at the Qatar fiesta, Nigerians are yet to be convinced that the team will qualify for 2026 World Cup due to Super Eagles performances in the qualifiers so far.
The Eagles who were tipped as favourites in a group made up of lowly ranked countries like Lesotho, Rwanda, Benin and South Africa are yet to record a win after two rounds of matches. The Eagles held Lesotho to a 1-1 draw in Uyo November 16 and three days after, they held Zimbabwe to yet another 1-1 draw.
Both goals conceded were goalkeeper’s errors and Nigerians have been asking questions. Former Nigeria international and one time assistant coach of the U23 Olympic Eagles, Etta Egbe has called on the Nigeria Football Federation to conduct an eye test for Super Eagles goalkeeper, Francis Uzoho to ascertain the level of his visibility.