Nottingham Forest boosted their Champions League hopes with a thrilling 2-1 win over West Ham. The victory keeps their dream of a top-four finish alive, as they continue to fight for a spot in Europe with strong performances.
Forest Beat West Ham 2-1 to Stay in Top-Five Race
Nottingham Forest earned a thrilling 2-1 victory over West Ham United in the Premier League on Sunday. The win keeps their dream of playing in next season’s UEFA Champions League alive. With only one match left in the season, The Garibaldi now have a strong chance to qualify if they win again next weekend.
Early Goal Gives Forest the Lead
Gibbs-White Scores After Goalkeeper Mistake
Forest started strong and took the lead in the 11th minute. West Ham goalkeeper Alphonse Areola made a mistake while trying to pass the ball. His loose pass went straight to Forest’s Morgan Gibbs-White, who calmly shot into the empty net to make it 1-0.
That early goal gave The Garibaldi the confidence they needed. They continued to push forward and create chances.
Second Goal Comes After Set-Piece Confusion
Elanga’s Free-Kick Deflects Off Milenkovic
Forest scored their second goal just after the hour mark. Anthony Elanga took a free-kick from the left side, and the ball hit the back of teammate Nikola Milenkovic and rolled into the net. There was a long delay after the goal, as VAR checked for possible offside.
VAR Delay Causes Confusion
The video assistant referee (VAR) had to take extra time to confirm the goal. There was a problem with the technology, and the semi-automated offside system was not working. It took six minutes for the referees to communicate and finally allow the goal. After that, Forest were leading 2-0.
Late Drama as West Ham Fight Back
Bowen’s Goal Creates Tense Ending
In the 86th minute, Jarrod Bowen gave West Ham some hope by scoring a powerful volley. The goal was a great strike, hitting the back of the net with force and giving the home fans something to cheer for.
With the score at 2-1, West Ham pushed hard for an equaliser in the final minutes.
Forest Goalkeeper Makes Match-Winning Save
In added time, West Ham’s Niclas Fuellkrug had a golden chance to level the match. His strong header looked like it was going in, but Forest goalkeeper Matz Sels made an outstanding save to protect his team’s lead.
The match had a dramatic ending, with lots of time-wasting, scuffles between players, and a very long stoppage time of 17 minutes due to the VAR issue.
Forest Close to Champions League Spot
Final Match Against Chelsea Will Decide
With this victory, Nottingham Forest are now in seventh place with 65 points from 37 matches. They are just one point behind three teams — including Chelsea — who are currently in the Champions League qualification spots (third to fifth). Interestingly, Forest’s final match of the season is against Chelsea, which could decide who finishes in the top four.
Elanga Equals Club Record
Anthony Elanga’s assist for the second goal was his 11th of the season. That equals Nottingham Forest’s record for most assists in a Premier League season, originally set by Bryan Roy in the 1994-95 campaign.
Final Thoughts
Nottingham Forest have had an exciting season and still have one more big challenge ahead. If they can beat Chelsea in their final match, they might just reach the Champions League — a huge achievement for the club. The dream is still alive!
