Awoniyi’s red card creates fresh Super Eagles concern ahead of AFCON qualifiers

Taiwo Awoniyi’s potential return to the Super Eagles has taken another twist after the Coventry City striker was sent off in Sunday’s 5-0 Premier League defeat by Brighton & Hove Albion, Afrik-Foot reports.

Awoniyi was shown a straight red card in the 53rd minute at the Coventry Building Society Arena after catching Brighton defender Maxim De Cuyper with his elbow during an aerial challenge. Referee Tony Harrington’s decision was checked by VAR and upheld.

The dismissal came two minutes after Malick Yalcouyé had made it 2-0 to Brighton. Charalampos Kostoulas had opened the scoring in the 35th minute, and Coventry eventually suffered their fourth straight league defeat without scoring.

Premier League rules mean a violent-conduct dismissal brings a three-match suspension. Taiwo Awoniyi is therefore set to miss Coventry’s league meeting with former club Nottingham Forest on September 19, followed by the October matches against Newcastle United and Tottenham Hotspur.

The suspension does not cover Nigeria’s September international window. Nigeria begin their 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying campaign against Madagascar in Uyo on September 25 before travelling to face Guinea-Bissau on September 29. The matches are the Super Eagles’ first competitive games since missing out on the 2026 World Cup.

Awoniyi: Chelle’s striker decision gets harder

Awoniyi’s suspension is not an international ban, but it creates a difficult question for Chelle. How sharp will the striker be when he arrives for the Super Eagles camp?

The 28-year-old had played three Premier League matches for Coventry before the Brighton game, completing 181 minutes without scoring. His red card now interrupts his club run just as he is trying to establish himself as a regular starter after moving from Nottingham Forest.

The problem is more important because Awoniyi was already fighting to win back his place in the Super Eagles.

He has not featured regularly for Nigeria since 2023 and was left out of the team’s Unity Cup squad earlier this year. His last competitive international appearance came during the 2026 World Cup qualifying campaign, while his previous AFCON qualification involvement was limited.

Chelle’s decision to bring him back also came at a difficult moment for Nigeria’s attack. Victor Osimhen’s injury has opened a place in the squad, putting Awoniyi into competition with Tolu Arokodare and other attacking options. Arokodare has already started the season strongly with Ajax, scoring twice in four Eredivisie appearances.

That means Awoniyi cannot afford a slow return to action.

The good news for Chelle is that the suspension should be completed around club fixtures rather than the September international window. Awoniyi can still report for national-team duty, train with the squad and potentially play against Madagascar and Guinea-Bissau.

The concern is his lack of recent goals. His three league appearances for Coventry produced 181 minutes without a goal, and the Brighton dismissal now removes another chance to build confidence in front of goal.

Nigeria’s Group L situation also leaves little room for a poor start. Tanzania are automatically qualified as one of the three AFCON co-hosts, meaning Nigeria must finish above Madagascar and Guinea-Bissau to secure the group’s qualifying place.

Chelle therefore has a choice to make. He can trust Awoniyi’s experience and physical qualities despite his interrupted club run, or give greater weight to forwards arriving with stronger recent scoring records.

Still, the red card has not closed the door to the Super Eagles for Awoniyi. It has simply made his return more complicated. He now has to convince Chelle that two September qualifiers are enough to show he is ready to lead Nigeria’s attack again.