Super Eagles striker Taiwo Awoniyi was on the score sheet but had to be taken off on a stretcher with a head injury as Nottingham Forest saw off third-tier Exeter in their English FA Cup fourth round clash on Tuesday night.
Forest boss Nuno Espirito Santo revealed after the match that Awoniyi sustained a broken nose after an aerial collision with Exeter goalkeeper Joe Whitworth.
The Nigeria international was given a rare start in a much-changed Nottingham Forest as 10-man Exeter City took them to extra-time and a penalty shootout.
The two sides finished deadlocked at 2-2 after extra-time, but Forest ran out 4-2 winners on spot kicks against the League One side.
Reece Cole and Angus MacDonald missed their spot kicks for the home side before Neco Williams scored the decisive penalty for the Premier League visitors, who scored all four of their penalties.
It means Forest, who made 10 changes to their team, avoided becoming the second top flight side to be knocked out by a lower league club in the fourth round after Plymouth Argyle stunned league leaders Liverpool on Sunday.
It meant the end of an FA Cup dream for a gutsy Exeter outfit that had defended superbly, especially after debutant Ed Turns was sent off for an 87th-minute foul on substitute Morgan Gibbs-White.
Forest will host fellow Premier League side Ipswich Town in the fifth round in early March.
Exeter stunned Forest early on when goalkeeper Carlos Miguel fumbled Demetri Mitchell’s curling effort into the path of Josh Magennis to score the opener from close range after just five minutes.
But Forest soon found their rhythm as Awoniyi went close twice – the second needing a fine goalline clearance from Vincent Harper – before Ramon Sosa levelled as he coolly finished from Ibrahim Sangare’s weighted pass.
Awoniyi had then put Forest ahead in the 37th minute, firing into the bottom corner after turning well on the edge of the box as Turns and MacDonald struggled to contain the Nigeria international.
However, Magennis pulled Exeter level five minutes after the restart, again on hand to score a deflected effort after a scramble from a deep corner.
Exeter had Turns sent off before 20 minutes of stoppage time – caused in part by the head injury to Awoniyi – before Jota Silva hit the woodwork and City’s Pat Jones brought a good save from Sels.
Forest brought on Chris Wood for the stricken Awoniyi, with Williams brought on at the start of extra-time.
Magennis and Wood scored their side’s first penalties but Sels saved from Cole and MacDonald hit the bar either side of a successful Gibbs-White penalty.
Tony Yogane converted Exeter’s fourth spot kick to give the home side hope, but Wales international Williams calmly converted Forest’s fourth to send them through.
