Forest Reaches FA Cup Semi-Final After 34 Years
In March 2024, Nottingham Forest was struggling near the Premier League relegation zone after a points deduction and had exited both domestic cups.
One year later, they are thriving in the league and have made it to their first FA Cup semi-final in 34 years after a dramatic penalty shootout win against Brighton.
Goalkeeper Matz Sels made two crucial saves in the shootout, keeping Forest’s dream of winning their first FA Cup since 1959 alive.
But there’s more to celebrate—Forest is currently third in the Premier League, in a strong position to qualify for next season’s Champions League, marking their return to European football after 28 years.
“It’s been an incredible season,” said Forest captain Ryan Yates, who scored the winning penalty. “We haven’t won anything yet, but sending our fans to Wembley again is special. It will be a great day, and I’m so happy for them. I think we deserved it.”
The Secret Behind Forest’s Penalty Success
Forest Wins Third FA Cup Shootout to Reach Wembley
Nottingham Forest has made penalty shootouts a habit in this season’s FA Cup.
After an easy 2-0 win over Luton in the third round, they needed penalties to beat League One’s Exeter City and struggling Premier League side Ipswich. Their quarter-final against Brighton also went to a shootout after a dull game with few chances.
Goalkeeper Matz Sels was the hero, saving Jack Hinshelwood’s weak shot and blocking a powerful strike from Diego Gomez.
“You always need a bit of luck in penalty shootouts, but I’m really happy,” said Sels, who has 12 league clean sheets this season. He also made crucial saves in Forest’s previous shootouts against Ipswich and Exeter.
Manager Nuno Espirito Santo praised him: “Matz saved again. He’s been fantastic. Three times, three wins—credit to him.”
Captain Ryan Yates secured the victory, making Forest the first team to win three FA Cup penalty shootouts in one season.
“I was nervous, but so relieved it went in. Matz saved two, and I just had to finish the job,” Yates said.
Was Team Performance Affected by Long Travel?
Both teams were playing their first game after an international break, and it was clear that the long travels had affected the players.
Brighton’s players covered a total of 86,208 miles during the break, while Forest’s players traveled 83,054 miles.
The match was slow-paced, with players looking tired. Both teams struggled to keep possession and lacked sharpness in attack.
“Football needs to look at this issue. People say players earn a lot, and they do,” said former England striker Gary Lineker. “But it’s not just about them. Fans also suffer because they don’t get to see the best performances.”
Before the game, some questioned Forest manager Nuno’s decision to rest key attackers Callum Hudson-Odoi and Anthony Elanga, especially since top scorer Chris Wood was out due to injury.
It seemed like Nuno was thinking ahead to Tuesday’s important match against Manchester United, which could strengthen Forest’s position in the top four and improve their chances of qualifying for the Champions League.
Hudson-Odoi and Elanga came on after an hour but had little impact. However, Hudson-Odoi did score Forest’s second penalty.
“You have to give Nuno some credit,” said former Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney. “We thought he made a mistake resting players, but since they won, he deserves praise.”
