Taiwo Awoniyi back in Nottingham Forest’s pre-season win

Super Eagles forward Taiwo Awoniyi made his first appearance of the season for Nottingham Forest in their pre-season victory on Saturday.

Nottingham Forest fans had reason to cheer as their team graced the pitch for the first time since the final day of the Premier League season.

The club kicked off their pre-season preparations with a 1-0 victory in a friendly match against local rivals Notts County.

A winning start to pre-season! 💪 pic.twitter.com/8ieLDgkuc9

— Nottingham Forest (@NFFC) July 15, 2023

The game provided an opportunity for head coach Steve Cooper to assess his squad ahead of their highly anticipated return to the Premier League.

Awoniyi features in Forest's pre-season win

Cooper named a strong starting XI for the first half, which included some notable international talent.

In the 14th minute, Awoniyi showcased his skills with a delectable drag-back, setting up a chance for Orel Mangala, whose shot narrowly missed the target.

Our first half starting XI for today's pre-season opener ⤵️ pic.twitter.com/8JQ4Q58kjG

— Nottingham Forest (@NFFC) July 15, 2023

Nottingham Forest's pre-season fixtures

The match against Notts County was just the beginning of Nottingham Forest's pre-season campaign. The club has lined up a series of challenging fixtures to fine-tune their squad ahead of the new season.

Here is a list of their upcoming matches:

July 18: Valencia vs Nottm Forest, kick-off 6pm (Ciudad Deportiva de Bunol, Spain)
July 22: Levante vs Nottm Forest, kick-off 11am (Ciudad Deportiva de Bunol, Spain)
July 27: Leeds vs Nottm Forest, kick-off 7.45pm (Pirelli Stadium)
July 30: PSV vs Nottm Forest, kick-off 5.30pm (Philips Stadion, Netherlands)
August 2: Nottm Forest vs Rennes – kick-off 7pm (St George's Park)
August 5: Frankfurt vs Nottm Forest – kick-off 2.30pm (Deutsche Bank Park, Germany)