April 02, (THEWILL) – Taiwo Awoniyi has further cemented his significance to the progress that Union Berlin has made this season, even as he made club history in his side’s 1-0 win over FC Cologne, at their Stadion An der Alten Försterei in Berlin.
Awoniyi’s goal was all that Union needed to move up to seventh place in the German Bundesliga rankings, after matchday 28 on Friday night, and it was as much a celebration of their climb as it was a historic feat for the Nigerian.
Admittedly, the visitors dominated possession in a goalless first half in Berlin. Awoniyi had a chance to break the stalemate as early as the second minute when strike partner Sheraldo Becker’s through pass reached him, but his control failed him and the chance was lost.
However, the former Liverpool striker made history by scoring his 17th Bundesliga goal as a Union forward three minutes into the second half, putting him atop the club’s all-time best scorer record.
The 2013 Under-17 World Cup winner intercepted a back pass to the goalkeeper from Cologne captain Jonas Hector and slammed the ball past Marvin Schwabe. The goal saw Awoniyi surpass teammate Max Kruse as Union Berlin’s all-time leading scorer in the Bundesliga.
The 24-year-old, who was left out of the Super Eagles’ double-header playoffs against Ghana, scored five goals in his first season with Union Berlin and has a total of 12 this season.
These 12 Bundesliga goals in the 2021/2022 campaign are already his best single-season total since turning professional, surpassing the eleven he scored in the Belgian First Division A during his loan stay with Royal Excel Mouscron in the second part of the 2018/2019 season.
He has seen a revitalisation of his career since his inspired move to the German top flight and making Union Berlin history, in what is only his second regular season in the Bundesliga, is exactly the manner of spur that will propel him to excel even more.
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.
