Izuchukwu OkosiNottingham Forest held Chelsea to a 1-1 draw on New Year Day at the City Ground to climb two places up in the Premier League table, Prime Business Africa reports.
Super Eagles striker Taiwo Awoniyi played for 90 minutes before he was substituted by Neco Williams while compatriot, Emmanuel Dennis was on the bench throughout the duration of the game.
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Awoniyi has scored three goals in the 2022/2023 campaign and notched up one in the Carabao Cup and could have added to that tally.
Teeammate, Brennan Johnson in the 49th minute, bore down on goal with Awoniyi running towards goal to offer a helping hand but rather than find the Nigerian who was in a good position to finish off the blistering move, Johnson elected to shoot straight at goal.
That was comfortably saved by Chelsea goalkeeper, Kepa Arrizabalaga.
Chelsea went ahead through Raheem Sterling but that lead was cancelled by Ivorian right back, Serge Aurier who controlled the ball brilliantly with his chest before rifling the ball into the net.
The strike was the defender’s first in two years. Chelsea had numerous chances to score on the game with former Arsenal striker Pierre Emerick Aubameyang missing a glut-edge chance to score when he came off the bench.
The result was not enough to lift Steve Cooper’s side out of the drop zone but it also kept Chelsea in eighth place – nowhere near where a Chelsea side is expected to finish.
Cooper and co now have a relegation showdown with Southampton to look forward to midweek while Chelsea must now take on Manchester City in the league and then the FA Cup this week.
In the earlier game played on Sunday – the first of the year in the Premier League – Aston Villa defeated Tottenham Hotspur at the Tottenham Stadium in London.
Izuchukwu Okosi is a Nigerian sports and entertainment journalist with two decades of experience in the media industry having begun his media journey in 2002 as an intern at Mundial Sports International (MSI) and Africa Independent Television (AIT), owners of Daar Communications Plc.
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