Taiwo Awoniyi's injury a huge concern for Nigeria ahead of World Cup qualifiers

The Nottingham Forest forward collided heavily with Exeter goalkeeper Joe Whitworth in the 103rd minute, sparking immediate worry from the medical staff.

It appeared as though the goalkeeper headbutted Awoniyi, and while it is unclear whether the striker lost consciousness, he was stretchered off the field after about ten minutes of treatment,” Legit.ng reported.

Before the injury, Awoniyi had a standout performance, scoring a stunning left-footed shot from outside the box in the 37th minute, giving Forest the lead. He had been a constant threat, registering four shots on target, one effort blocked, and completing 70% of his passes.

Super Eagles head coach Eric Chelle, who recently met with the forward ahead of Nigeria's upcoming World Cup qualifiers against Rwanda and Zimbabwe, will undoubtedly be concerned about Awoniyi's fitness.

Chelle will have to wait for the results of a full assessment by Nottingham Forest's medical team to determine if Awoniyi will be available for international duty. According to UK outlet SunSport, the striker was able to walk back to the dressing room unaided after the incident.

Nottingham Forest head coach Nuno Espirito Santo confirmed that Awoniyi had suffered a concussion and a broken nose following the clash with the goalkeeper, as reported by Nottingham Post.

"It was a concussion, and I think he broke his nose," said Santo.

"He is in a lot of pain, but he has a smile on his face because he did an amazing job and scored for us, which we were delighted about. He has already been checked and is OK to travel back."