August 15, (THEWILL) – With one goal and one assist from two games, Nigerian striker Taiwo Awoniyi could not have asked for a better start to life in the Bundesliga after his move to Union Berlin was made permanent.
The forward scored in the league opener in the 1-1 draw against Bayer Leverkusen on Saturday.
His superb strike, a right-footed shot from outside the box to the high centre of the goal in the seventh minute was enough to give Union a point from the encounter and ensure they did not begin the season with a worse deficit.
The 24-year-old, formerly at Liverpool, spent the 2020/2021 season on loan from Liverpool with die Eisernen (the Iron Ones), as Union are known in Germany, finding the net five times while registering three assists in 21 appearances.
Impressed by the Nigerian’s performance, the club’s management immediately seized the opportunity to sign him permanently and the transfer was sealed with the English Premier League side. Awoniyi is demonstrating the resolve to reward this confidence reposed in his abilities.
The 24-year-old took advantage of the opening he saw after profiting from an assist through ball put in his path by teammate, the German central attacking midfielder Max Kruse. It came early and was possible for the spring in attack that Union launched to catch Leverkusen unawares.
However, the visitors responded swiftly and with some more pressure found an equaliser five minutes after going behind. It was a Moussa Diaby goal that helped Leverkusen restore parity, with a left-footer from the centre of the box to the lower left corner.
There were no other goals to highlight for the remainder of the match despite openings on both sides and four minutes after the hour mark, Andreas Voglsammer was introduced in place of Awoniyi but the forward will be content with how his season has gone so far.
His first contribution was setting up a goal for the one who set up his goal in Saturday, the German Kruse, to score the winner on Sunday, August 8, in the DFB Pokal cup which they beat Türkgücü München 1-0 to win as a triumphant beginning of the new season.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
