In the build-up to last month’s Bundesliga clash between Augsburg and Union Berlin, home coach Markus Weinzierl was under no illusions about the size of task his creaking back line faced.
“When you play in Europe, that speaks for the quality (Union have in their squad),” said the former Schalke boss, via Soccernet.
“And with Taiwo Awoniyi and Max Kruse, you have two very good strikers. They often make the difference – they have to be taken out of the game.”
But when the full-time whistle echoed around the WWK Arena 90-plus minutes later, Weinzierl could pat himself on the back and toast a job well done.
Augsburg had kept Awoniyi and Kruse off the scoresheet, securing a creditable 0-0 draw against a side that finished seventh in the Bundesliga last season, qualifying for Europe for the first time in their history.
Unfortunately for Bo Svensson, his Mainz side didn’t have quite so much joy when Awoniyi, Kruse and rocked up at the weekend.
Taiwo Awoniyi is loving life after leaving Liverpool
Showcasing the pace, power and lethal finishing skills that have made him one of Germany’s most feared frontmen, Awoniyi cancelled out Marcus Ingvartsen’s first-half opener in trademark style before doubling his tally just four minutes later.
Following on from another well-taken finish in the 3-0 thrashing of Maccabi Haifa in midweek, Awoniyi has now scored eight goals and provided two assists in just 12 games since leaving Liverpool in a £6.5 million deal in July.
Union Berlin, a third-tier club as recently as 2009, invested a club-record fee in a striker who never made a first-team appearance at Anfield due to a combination of work-permit problems and the star quality ahead of him in Jurgen Klopp’s pecking order.
And if Awoniyi continues to repay that £6.5 million investment with sizeable interest, many Bundesliga bosses may be tempted to bend Weinzierl’s ear in an attempt to stop the unstoppable.
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