Taiwo Awoniyi marked his 100th Nottingham Forest appearance with a brace, helping his side secure a huge 3-1 victory over Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on Monday.
The Super Eagles striker scored twice in a game for the first time since 2023. That brace also came against Chelsea in a 2-2 draw.
The 3-1 victory takes Nottingham Forest six points clear of the relegation zone, with just three games left. It also means the Tricky Trees are now unbeaten in 10 games across all competitions.
Taiwo Awoniyi’s first goal came 98 seconds into the match as Forest made a stunning start. Dilane Bakwa played in a brilliant cross, which was headed in by the Nigerian International, making it 1-0.
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In the 15th minute, the visitors doubled their lead. This time, Awoniyi won a penalty after he was pulled down by Malo Gusto inside the box. After a VAR check, the spot kick was given and converted by Igor Jesus, making it 2-0.
Few minutes before half time, Chelsea won a penalty of their own. A clash of headsbetween Premier League debutant Jesse Derry and Zach Abbott saw the spot kick given in the host’s favour.
Following a lengthy stoppage to treat both players, Cole Palmer took the penalty and uncharacteristically missed, adding to Chelsea’s woes.
Both teams made changes at the start of the second half. The Blues introduced Levi Colwill, who was making his return from a long injury. Forest brought in Nikola Milenkovic, Elliot Anderson, and Morgan Gibbs-White to see out the game.
Few minutes after coming in, Gibbs-White continued his brilliant form, providing an assist for Taiwo Awoniyi. The Nigerian tapped in from close range to make it 3-0, making things worse for the hosts
Chelsea striker Joao Pedro thought he had reduced the deficit in the 73rd minute. However, his goal was ruled out for offside, summing up the Blues’ terrible afternoon.
The Brazilian forward eventually found the net with a bicycle kick in the 93rd minute, making it 3-1. Unfortunately for Chelsea, the goal was too late to spark a comeback, as Forest held on to secure a huge win.
The result means Chelsea’s hopes of finishing in the top five are now over. The Blues are 10 points behind fifth-placed Aston Villa with three matches left. This makes it impossible to guarantee Champions League qualification.
On the other hand, Nottingham Forest are now very close to guaranteeing their stay in the Premier League. However, their focus will quickly turn to the Europa League. They face Aston Villa in the second leg of their semifinal clash on Thursday.
Having secured a 1-0 win in the first leg, Vitor Pereira’s side need only a draw at Villa Park to qualify for the Europa League final.
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