Football
Taiwo Awoniyi: Time To Cut Short The Dream And Leave Liverpool Permanently
It has been five years since the former Golden Eaglets star joined the Reds, but he is not any closer to playing for Jurgen Klopp’s side
Taiwo Awoniyi has not played a single game since moving to Liverpool in 2015, and the Nigerian youth international says he seriously considered quitting the club permanently in the summer.
Awoniyi is still not eligible for a work permit in England as he hasn’t featured yet for the Nigeria senior national team. This situation has robbed him of the chance to play in the English Premier League.
A hero of Nigeria’s triumph at the 2013 FIFA U-17 World Cup in the United Arab Emirates and the 2015 African U20 Championship in Senegal, Awoniyi is yet to light up his career as expected.
The 23-year-old has had seven loan spells in clubs across the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany and agreed to a temporary deal with Union Berlin in September for the entire 2020-21 season.
Awoniyi insists he retains the ambition of playing for the Reds, but he prefers to leave Liverpool for the opportunity to settle down somewhere else.
“It is my dream to play for Liverpool. But me playing for Liverpool has to do with getting my work permit,” Awoniyi told ESPN.
“Without it, there is no chance for me discussing about playing for Liverpool for now.
“This season was maybe a bit tough to make the decision because honestly, I was hoping to leave permanently.
“Liverpool have been great, they have been so supportive, and we always talk with the director and every time, they tell me to be patient.
“But the reason I discussed something permanent this season was just that I felt most loans I have been to have not really been the way I want it.
“And I felt like it happens that way because the loan players get less of an advantage than the players of their own club.
“That was what made me think, okay, maybe it’s time to find a home with my family.”
Awoniyi has featured seven times for Union Berlin in the Bundesliga this term, opening his goal account for the club in the 2-1 defeat of Cologne a fortnight ago.
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The 26-year-old becomes only the second player to score 30 league goals in Europe’s top ten leagues this season and the first Nigerian to reach that mark after he scored in Genk’s 3-2 win at Antwerp
Paul Onuachu continues to break new grounds in what has been a remarkable season after he scored his 30th league goal to help Genk to a 3-2 win over Royal Antwerp in the opening game of the Jupiler League Championship playoff round.
After coronavirus ended the Belgian top-flight abruptly last season, the championship round resumed again this season, with Antwerp playing host to Genk.
Theo Bongonda put Genk ahead in the 20th minute following a ball from Junya Ito, but goals from Maxime Le Marchand and Koji Miyoshi in the space of four minutes turned the tie around for Antwerp.
However, Onuachu restored parity for The Smurfs in the 71st minute for his 30th league goal of the season. By reaching this milestone, the former Midtjylland striker becomes the first Nigerian to reach 30 league goals in a single season in Europe.
Also, he is just the second player after Robert Lewandowski to score 30 or more goals in Europe’s top ten leagues this season.
But the Nigerian international is still 11 short of the record for most goals in a single Belgian top-flight season, set by Arthur Ceuleers and Jules Van Craen in the 1942-1943 season.
Nonetheless, Onuachu is well on course to become the third Nigerian player to finish as the top scorer in the Belgian top-flight after Tosin Dosunmu and Joseph Akpala.
Meanwhile, Bongonda, who provided the assist for Onuachu’s goal, combined once again with Ito to fire home the winner for Genk two minutes from time.
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The Super Falcons star was the hero in the first leg, and was again brilliant in the return leg, even though La Blaugranes lost
Asisat Oshoala was once again on target, but Barcelona lost 2-1 in the return leg of their Uefa Women’s Champions League quarterfinal clash.
However, Barcelona still progressed to the semifinals 4-2 on aggregate, having won the first leg 3-0 in Rome.
Oshoala was the hero in the first leg, scoring once and winning a penalty. The Nigerian international picked up from where she left off as she scored Barcelona’s equaliser in the 59th minute after Janine Beckie had given City the lead.
The former Liverpool star finished off a cut back from Mariona Caldentey to draw Lluis Cortes ladies level. The 26-year-old now has 13 goals for Barcelona this season, including four in the champions league.
Although Samantha Mewis restored City’s lead from the penalty spot, it was the Spanish champions that progressed 4-2 on aggregate.
Barcelona will now face either Lyon or Paris in the semifinals next month.
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The former Enyimba striker got the crucial opener in the first half for the Promise Keepers in their NPFL clash with southern rivals Rivers United
Akwa United secured a commanding 3-0 victory over high-flying Rivers United thanks to goals from Nigerian international Mfon Udoh, Charles Atshimene, and Morice Chukwu.
The visitors, still smarting from their CAF Confederations Cup aggregate loss to Enyimba last week, were the more enterprising team in the opening stages of the encounter at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium.
But the tide changed in favour of the home side when 2014 Nigeria Premier League top scorer Udoh found the back of the net five minutes before the break.
And Kennedy Boboye’s men bagged all the three points at stake with second-half goals from Atshimene and Chukwu.
Afonja Warriors Back At The Top
It was a comfortable afternoon for Kwara United as the Afonja Warriors defeated Warri Wolves 2-0 to return to the summit of the Nigeria Professional Football League table.
With league leaders Kano Pillars losing 3-2 in a thrilling clash at Dakkada earlier in the day, Kwara United knew any manner of win would be enough to take them back to the prime position.
And a brilliant victory they carved out thanks to a goal in each half from Jude Steven and Michael Ohanu.
NPFL Results
Dakkada 3 – 2 Kano Pillars
Akwa United 3 – 0 Rivers United
Jigawa Golden Stars 0 – 0 Enyimba
Ifeanyi Uba 0 – 0 Plateau United
Lobi Stars 2 – 1 Katsina United
Sunshine Stars 0 – 0 Adamawa United
Enugu Rangers 2 – 0 Heartland
Kwara United 2 – 0 Warri Wolves
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The on-loan Club Brugge striker got his Germany adventure to a bright start as he led his new club to a convincing home victory on Sunday
Super Eagles attacker Emmanuel Dennis began a new chapter in his career on a promising note as he helped Cologne to a delightful 3-1 win over Arminia Bielefeld in a game-week 19 Bundesliga clash at the RheinEnergie Stadion.
Cologne boss Markus Gisdol handed the Nigerian forward his first start, just days after moving in from Belgium, and the tactician was rewarded with a fine attacking display that has become a rare sight in the Billy Goats’ games this term.
A Marius Wolfe double in the opening half-hour and an Elvis Rexhbecaj effort shortly after the hour mark was all Cologne needed to secure all the three points at stake.
It was the first time the Billy Goats would score three times in the Bundesliga this term.
Dennis was replaced in the 82nd minute by Jan Thielmann, ten minutes after Cordova got the visitors’ consolation goal.
The 23-year-old will hope his performances in the coming days impress his German bosses before the expiration of his loan spell later in June.
In Spain, Super Falcons star Asisat Oshoala was back to her deadly best as she found her target twice to inspire Barcelona to an exciting 4-1 home victory over ten-woman Real Madrid.
The visitors had goalkeeper Maria Rodriguez sent off in the 72nd minute, by which time Oshoala and co. had done all the damage inside the Estadi Johan Cruyff.
Oshoala ensured Barcelona went into the break with a three-goal lead, profiting off a Christine Hansen pass in the 37th minute after Alexia Putella and Jenni Hermoso had scored for the hosts.
The reigning African Women Player of the Year then added a fourth goal – her 13th strike of another prolific league campaign – in the 70th minute.
Rodriguez then received her marching orders shortly after before Olga Carmona struck from the penalty spot to give Real Madrid something to cheer about on a sad day.
Oshoala is now two goals short of catching up with the league top scorer, Levante’s Esther Gonzalez.
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