Health update on Taiwo Awoniyi after striker placed in induced coma

Nottingham Forest have received a positive update on the recovery of Taiwo Awoniyi after the Nigerian striker was woken from an induced coma following abdominal surgery.

Awoniyi collided with a post during Forest’s 2-2 draw with Leicester in the Premier League on Sunday and received treatment for several minutes before playing on.

He was subsequently rushed to hospital for “urgent surgery” on Monday, though, as the extent of his injuries became clear, before being put in a coma to help restrict his movement and regulate his heart rate.

There was no suggestion that his condition was life-threatening, however, with the club saying that Awoniyi was “recovering well”.

Having had the first part of surgery to repair a suspected ruptured intestine on Monday, the striker spent Tuesday in an induced coma before the second stage of the operation, including closing the wound, was completed on Wednesday.

Awoniyi was subsequently woken from the induced coma in the early evening on Wednesday. Forest have not yet responded to a request for comment.

Having been introduced as a substitute, Awoniyi’s collision with the post came as he attempted to get on the end of a cross from Anthony Elanga.

Elanga had been in an offside position when the ball was played to him, but the assistant referee did not raise their flag until after the incident involving Awoniyi, as is protocol.

When an immediate goalscoring opportunity is likely to occur, officials are instructed to keep their flag down until the passage of play is complete. If a goal is scored, the incident can then be reviewed by the video assistant referee (VAR).

This process has been criticised, though, with some managers suggesting that it unnecessarily endangers players. Forest are set to open an internal review into the incident.