Super Eagles star Taiwo Awoniyi has expressed his delight after getting off the mark for Nottingham Forest in the Premier League.
Awoniyi scored his first goal in the Premier League on his full debut for Forest in the 1-0 win over West Ham on Sunday evening.
It is a big relief for Awoniyi, who failed to score for Forest in pre-season after joining them from Union Berlin for a club-record fee.
Awoniyi off the mark for Nottingham Forest
The Nigerian international scored the only goal of the game after Jesse Lingard's effort ricocheted off his knee.
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While it came in fortunate circumstances, it was a perfect reward for Awoniyi, who worked his socks off before he was taken off in the second half.
Following the game, Awoniyi revealed it was a dream come true for him. The striker admitted he was lucky to score the goal but said it showed his quality as a forward.
"I'm really happy about the goal – it was a dream for me to score and for the team to win," Awoniyi said after the game.
"I'm really happy about it because it took me a long journey to get back to the Premier League, and I'm very, very proud of myself.
"As a striker, you just have to be ready for anything around the goal. It's all about getting ready, whether you are starting or coming on from the bench.
Awoniyi praises Forest fans
Nottingham Forest fans were up for the game right from kickoff, and Awoniyi admitted that the victory would not have been possible without their support.
"We must say a very big thank you to the fans because from the beginning, they got behind the team, and you can see how it kept the team going until the last minute," he added.
Awoniyi will hope to continue in the same vein next week when Nottingham Forest travel to Merseyside to take on Everton.