Nottingham Forest secured a dramatic 4-3 penalty shootout win over Brighton, propelling them into the FA Cup semi-finals for the first time in 34 years. The match at Amex Stadium was far from a goal-fest, with neither team managing to break the deadlock throughout the 120 minutes of play. Despite Brighton’s dominance in possession and territory, they struggled to create clear-cut chances. Forest, on the other hand, felt the absence of their top scorer, Chris Wood, who was sidelined due to a hip injury sustained while on international duty with New Zealand.
Brighton had their moments, with Yasin Ayari, Carlos Baleba, and Pervis Estupinan all coming close in the first half. However, their efforts were either off-target or well-saved by Sels. In the second half, Georginio Rutter had a promising opportunity but blasted over the crossbar, while Jack Hinshelwood missed a golden header from a corner.
A pivotal moment in the match came in the 64th minute when Forest were awarded a penalty after Kaoru Mitoma was judged to have fouled Elliot Anderson in the area. However, the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) intervened, and referee Peter Banks reviewed the incident. After consulting the VAR, Banks confirmed that no foul had been committed, much to the delight of the Brighton fans but the frustration of Forest’s coaching staff.
As the match entered extra time, the tension only increased. Brighton’s Diego Gomez had a late chance to win the game with a powerful header, but Sels made a superb save to keep the score level. Just as it seemed that the match would go to penalties, Joao Pedro thought he had won it for Brighton with a late goal. However, the celebration was short-lived as the goal was ruled out for offside, sending the match into a penalty shootout.
In the penalty shootout, Sels was the star of the show. He made crucial saves on Jack Hinshelwood and Diego Gomez, ensuring that Forest won the shootout 4-3. Forest captain Ryan Yates stepped up to score the decisive penalty, sending his team into their first FA Cup semi-final since 1991.
This victory marks another impressive chapter in Nottingham Forest’s FA Cup run. They had previously won penalty shootouts against Exeter City and Ipswich in the earlier rounds. Goalkeeper Matz Sels has been instrumental in their success, making crucial saves and keeping their hopes of a first FA Cup win since 1959 alive.
Brighton, who had been on a seven-match winning run since their humiliating 7-0 defeat by Forest in the Premier League last month, failed to avenge their earlier loss. They lacked a creative threat and were unable to capitalize on their few chances. The defeat will be a bitter pill to swallow, especially with their bid for Champions League football still very much alive.
Nottingham Forest will now await the draw to discover their semi-final opponents, which will take place on Sunday. Brighton, on the other hand, will need to quickly refocus on their league campaign, with a crucial match against Aston Villa on Wednesday. For Forest, the dream of an FA Cup triumph lives on, thanks to the heroics of Matz Sels and the resilience of the entire team. In the closely contested Brighton vs Nottm Forest encounter, it was ultimately Forest’s day as they edged past their opponents in a thrilling penalty shootout.
