Awoniyi Steps Up...

[Damunk]

So Awoniyi takes on the Osimhen mantle.
Nor be today.
Good luck!

Taiwo Awoniyi: Is This His Moment?
Nancy Oluebube Send an email 7 mins ago 0 60 3 minutes read

By Yinka Babs




Taiwo Awoniyi's rise to prominence essentially started the moment his good friend Isaac Success succumbed to a rogue hamstring injury at the 2013 U17 World Cup in the UAE in their game against Sweden.
Up to that point, Isaac Success, now of Udinese Italy, had been the undisputed star of the show and with strike partner Kelechi Iheanacho formed an unstoppable partnership.

That injury in the 30th minute of the Eaglet's second game of the tournament ushered in the gangly and relatively unknown Taiwo Awoniyi. The young Eaglets even then all wore big shoes but none came bigger than the shoes of Isaac Success and it was Awoniyi's mission to step into them. Fifty minutes later, he scored his first World Cup goal, levelling the game at 3-3.
The rest, as they say, is history.

Fast forward 9 years and Awoniyi finds himself in a similar position, but on a far bigger stage. It is the eve of the AFCON 2021 and fate has again played a hand. Awoniyi has deservedly been named in the 28-man Nigeria squad for the tournament. Nigeria's number one striker, Victor Osimhen of Napoli has not recovered from a bad facial injury in time for the tournament. Nigeria's number two choice, Bonaventure Dennis of Watford has not been released by his club, while Nigeria's top scorer at the last AFCON, 31 year-old Odion Ighalo has had similar release problems with his club in Saudi Arabia.

That leaves Taiwo Awoniyi to again step up and step in.
Brimming with confidence, the soft-spoken Awoniyi is definitely up to the task and is, in a sense, Nigeria's secret weapon. Awoniyi has had an excellent start to his season with Union Berlin in the German Bundesliga. Fourth highest goalscorer, he is enjoying his football and relishing the opportunity to make his mark for the Super Eagles and in the tournament as a whole.

“I am proud and happy. My greatest dream was to play for Nigeria in a major tournament. There are 200 million people to fight for” he says.

Nigeria is particularly strong in the striking department at the moment and even the loss of three top strikers has not left the team short of quality options. The rivalry is fierce but Awoniyi has as much right to be there as anyone. He even has words of encouragement for his injured teammate, Victor Osimhen.

“Victor should be here but health is important. Missing the tournament will hurt as an individual and I wish him well.”

Many of the current team have played together at the youth level. Players like Kelechi Iheanacho and Wilfred Ndidi both of Leicester City were teammates with Awoniyi in the world cup-winning Class of 2013, though Ndidi graduated from the team just before the tournament proper. Kelechi Nwakali (Huesca, Spain), Samuel Chukwueze (Villareal, Spain) and the injured Victor Osimhen belonged to the equally successful class of 2015 and were were part of the same youth program.

“We’ve all payed together before and we have grown as individuals at each level. We have been friends for a long time and that bond helps on the field of play” says Awoniyi.

AFCON 2021 boasts a plethora of world soccer stars including the Liverpool duo Mo Sallah (Egypt) and Sadio Mane (Senegal). There is Man City’s Riyad Mahrez (Algeria), Arsenal’s Thomas Partey (Ghana) and PSG’s Akraf Hakimi (Morocco). There are numerous others and the fight for the African title will be fast and furious but Awoniyi believes that he and the Super Eagles are up to it.

“My greatest strength is my power and my fighting spirit. Then my finishing will come into play.”

The Nigerian ‘iron man’ as recently described by Bundesliga English on its twitter page is drawing from his Christian faith and the power of dreams to get him to the promised land.

“I keep dreaming and aiming higher. But it is all by the grace of God and I am grateful to Him. The moment you stop dreaming the dream is over.”

The moment to keep the dream alive is now.

https://papertalk.ng/2022/01/11/taiwo-a ... is-moment/

[Tbite]

Objectively speaking. I could see him flopping or tearing it up.

Young strikers like this, it boils down to the psychological aspects. His ability is proven. If he is in the right headspace, he will do well. Otherwise, he will be frustrated.

I wouldn't bet the house on him doing well. I think overall I see him having a good career for the SE, but it is hard to pinpoint the exact moment when he will get the ball rolling (no pun intended).

the key thing for his handlers will be to keep the faith, even when he struggles.