Taiwo Awoniyi fires Union Berlin into Europa League with another brace

Heading into the final game of the season, their impressive form would have given Union very little to worry about, winning five of their last six matches in the league. Talismanic Super Eagles striker Taiwo Awoniyi was also in focus ahead of the game, with the coveted striker netting 17 goals in his last 33 Bundesliga games. 

Union barely allowed their visitors to settle in before they took the lead. Five minutes in, Genki Haraguchi flew down the right flank before whipping in a great cross which Grischa Proemel emphatically headed home. 

In the 24th minute, Union had a chance to double their lead when a shot from a corner bounced off the hand of a Bochum player. The referee initially waved away all penalty protests, but after a quick VAR review, he changed his mind. Awoniyi stepped up and confidently slotted home the penalty to give Union a more comfortable lead.  

Awoniyi came close early in the second-half following a spell of increased pressure by Union. He latched onto a rebound in the opposition box, but the former Liverpool striker watched his volley fly wide of the left side of the goal. 

The narrow miss was soon compounded by Bochum, who got a goal back following a good team move. Danilo Teodoro Soares played a perfect pass into the box, and Simon Zoller did well to control the ball and fire a blistering shot past the goalkeeper.

Awoniyi ought to have finished the game with the match ball, but he had to settle for a brace. The forward had a chance to restore the two-goal advantage when he collected a good pass inside the box, but the opposition goalkeeper pulled off a stunning save to keep his side in the contest. 

In the 80th minute, it looked as though Union would not be qualifying for the Europa League after all, as Bochum levelled the score. Eduard Loewen received a perfect pass from former Arsenal striker Takuma Asano before smashing a good shot into the bottom right corner of the goal.

Despite the late shock, the home side turned up the pressure, but Bochum goalkeeper Michael Essers made two good saves. Union would be once again bailed out by a familiar hero when with only two minutes left, an inspired Awoniyi carried the ball on a determined run into the box before calmly firing his 19th goal of the season past Essers. 

With his 19 goals, Awoniyi finishes in fifth place in the Bundesliga goal scorer charts and this brace will increase the existing interest from clubs across Europe.