Taiwo Awoniyi and Frank Onyeka were unable to prevent Coventry City from suffering a 3-1 defeat to Tottenham Hotspur, as Spurs secured their first Premier League victory of the season at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, Trybal News reports.
The Nigerian internationals were introduced in the 60th minute, with Awoniyi replacing Sidiki Chérif and Onyeka coming on for Caleb Yirenkyi, as Coventry attempted to respond after Omar Marmoush had restored Tottenham’s lead.
Coventry had fought back early in the second half when Jack Rudoni equalised in the 49th minute, cancelling out James Maddison’s stunning opener. However, Marmoush put the hosts back in front in the 59th minute before substitute Ben Davies sealed the victory with a stoppage-time goal.
Awoniyi had an opportunity to make an impact in the closing stages, registering a shot in the 85th minute, but Coventry could not find a second equaliser. Onyeka was also involved in the closing period and was penalised for a foul in the 83rd minute.
The result ended Tottenham’s 148-day wait for a Premier League victory and lifted them to 16th place, while Coventry dropped to 17th. The win also offered relief to manager Roberto De Zerbi, whose side had struggled to find consistency in the opening weeks of the campaign.
Meanwhile, Tottenham Super Eagles-eligible defender Tosin Adarabioyo suffered a suspected injury during his first Premier League start for the club. The former Chelsea centre-back went down in the second half and requested a substitution before being replaced by Mateus Fernandes in the 71st minute. The extent of the injury has yet to be established.
Awoniyi and Onyeka will be disappointed that their second-half introductions could not inspire a Coventry comeback, as Tottenham’s victory provided De Zerbi with some much-needed relief after a difficult start to the campaign.
