Swansea City staged a stunning late comeback to beat Nottingham Forest 3–2 and reach the fourth round of the Carabao Cup. Cameron Burgess, who had earlier halved the deficit with a header from an Eom Ji-sung corner, bundled in the winner in the 97th minute — just four minutes after Zan Vipotnik swept home the equaliser from Liam Cullen’s low cross.
Forest had led 2–0 at the break through a first-half brace from Igor Jesus, but Alan Sheehan’s side refused to fold. Debutants Ishe Samuels-Smith and Manuel Benson showed glimpses of intent, and the Swans found their rhythm late on. Ethan Galbraith’s long-range strike rattled the woodwork, and Burgess reacted quickest to seal a comeback that felt improbable just minutes earlier.
For Forest, it was a collapse that will sting. For Swansea, it was a night of grit, clarity and cold-blooded execution.
### ⏱️ First Half: Jesus Double Puts Forest in Control
Nottingham Forest took control early, with Igor Jesus scoring twice to give the visitors a 2–0 lead at the break. Swansea struggled to find fluency, and Forest’s attacking trio of Bakwa, Hutchinson and Jesus repeatedly stretched the hosts’ defensive shape.
The opener came in the 15th minute. Dilane Bakwa slipped a short pass to Omari Hutchinson on the left, who drove into the box and fired a low cross that deflected off Cameron Burgess. Andy Fisher blocked the ball at the near post, but Jesus was quickest to react, finishing from a tight angle.
Swansea responded with a spell of pressure midway through the half, and their best moment came in the 34th minute when Malick Yalcouye surged into the box and appeared to be brought down by Willy Boly. Referee Bobby Madley waved away the appeals. With no VAR in operation until the semi-finals, the decision stood. Studio pundits Jobi McAnuff and Michael Dawson called it a clear penalty, with Dawson adding that anywhere else on the pitch, it’s a foul.
Forest’s second arrived in first-half stoppage time, capping a flowing 19-pass move. Bakwa again initiated the attack, linking with James McAtee and Nicolò Savona before McAtee’s cross found Hutchinson, who squared for Jesus to sweep home his second. It was slick, composed and clinical.
By the interval, Forest looked in control. Swansea’s midfield struggled to connect lines, and the back line was repeatedly exposed. Sheehan had work to do.
### 🔁 Second Half: Burgess, Vipotnik and Cullen Flip the Script
Swansea emerged from the break with renewed intent. Sheehan’s side pressed higher, moved the ball with more urgency and began to ask questions of a Forest defence that had looked comfortable before the interval.
The momentum swung in the 68th minute. Eom Ji-sung, increasingly influential down the right, delivered a pinpoint corner. Cameron Burgess rose above Murillo and Boly to power a header past John Victor, halving the deficit and igniting belief inside the Swansea.com Stadium.
Forest responded with changes. Callum Hudson-Odoi and Arnaud Kalimuendo came on at half-time, replacing Hutchinson and Jesus. Andrew Omobamidele later replaced Murillo. The fresh legs brought pace and intent, but not composure. Hudson-Odoi curled wide, Kalimuendo struck the side-netting and McAtee saw an effort cleared off the line. It was a spell that should have buried the game, but Forest’s finishing deserted them.
Swansea’s equaliser came in the 93rd minute. Liam Cullen, sharp off the bench, found space on the left and whipped in a low cross. Zan Vipotnik timed his run perfectly, arriving between Boly and Omobamidele to sweep the ball home from close range. The stadium erupted. Forest froze.
Then came the moment. In the 97th minute, Forest failed to clear a corner and the ball dropped to Ethan Galbraith 25 yards out. His strike was pure, a rising drive that smashed off the angle of post and bar. As the ball ricocheted back into play, Burgess was already moving. He pounced, stretched and turned the ball into the net before Forest’s defence could react. It was instinctive, ruthless and euphoric.
The Swansea.com Stadium exploded. Burgess wheeled away, arms wide, as teammates piled in. Forest, stunned and deflated, had no reply.
### 📊 Swansea City Player Ratings
**Player**
**Rating**
**Notes**
Andy Fisher
6
Beaten twice in the first half but made a key save. Distribution steady.
Josh Key
7
Provided the low cross for Burgess’s winner. Defended well late on.
Kaelan Casey
6
Nervy early on but settled. Held his line under pressure.
Cameron Burgess ⭐
9
Two goals, including the winner. Led the fightback.
Ishe Samuels-Smith
6
Composed debut. Caught out once or twice but didn’t hide.
Goncalo Franco
6
Neat in possession but lacked impact. Subbed on 64.
Malick Yalcouye
7
Drove forward and should’ve won a penalty. Faded late on.
Ethan Galbraith
8
Ran the midfield. Strike off the woodwork led to the winner.
Jisung Eom
7
Delivered the corner for Burgess’s first. Threat down the right.
Manuel Benson
6
Took time to settle. Stretched Forest’s shape after the break.
Adam Idah
6
Worked hard but struggled to find space. Subbed off before the comeback.
**Substitute**
**Rating**
**Notes**
Josh Tymon (64′)
6
Added energy down the left. Helped close out the game.
Melker Widell (64′)
6
Kept things tidy. Helped disrupt Forest’s rhythm.
Ronald (64′)
6
Injected pace. Pressed well in closing stages.
Zan Vipotnik (77′)
8
Took his goal brilliantly. Tireless off the ball.
Liam Cullen (86′)
7
Assisted Vipotnik’s equaliser. Added energy late on.
**Manager**
**Rating**
**Notes**
Alan Sheehan
8
Got his subs right, kept belief alive and let the team play with freedom.
### 🎙️ Post-Match Reactions
**Alan Sheehan (Swansea City Head Coach)**
“We showed incredible character. To come back like that against Premier League opposition says everything about the group. The lads didn’t panic, they stuck to the plan and they got their reward.”
Sheehan praised debutants Ishe Samuels-Smith and Manuel Benson for settling quickly and singled out Cameron Burgess for his leadership.
“He’s a warrior. He drives standards and tonight he delivered in the biggest moments.”
**Cameron Burgess (Match-Winner)**
“We just kept going. I saw Galbraith’s shot hit the bar and thought, I’m getting there first. The crowd were unreal. They lifted us when we needed it most.”
**Zan Vipotnik (Equaliser Hero)**
“It’s a special feeling. Liam put it on a plate and I just had to finish it. We believed we could turn it around.”
**Ange Postecoglou (Nottingham Forest Manager)**
“We had chances to kill the game and didn’t take them. That’s football. Credit to Swansea. They punished us when it mattered.”
Postecoglou refused to blame individual errors but admitted the late collapse was unacceptable and a lesson in game management.
**Michael Dawson (Sky Sports)**
“Swansea deserved it. Forest were passive, especially in the final ten minutes. That’s not good enough at this level.”
**Jobi McAnuff (Sky Sports)**
“Galbraith’s strike was outrageous. Burgess reacted like a striker. That’s the kind of hunger you want in cup football.”
### 🧑⚖️ Ref Watch: Bobby Madley Makes Himself Known
To be fair, Bobby Madley may have been unsighted for the first-half penalty shout. Malick Yalcouye surged into the box, Willy Boly clipped him, and from certain angles it looked soft. But from most angles, including the broadcast replay, it looked stonewall. With no VAR in the Carabao Cup until the semi-finals, Madley waved it away and moved on.
That moment set the tone. Forest got away with a few late challenges. Swansea’s momentum was clipped more than once without consequence. And in the closing minutes, when Cameron Burgess brought down a player clean through on goal, the offside flag went up just in time. It was a foul, and without the flag, Burgess was walking. Madley looked ready to make it dramatic.
It was a typical Bobby Madley performance. You knew he was there. And with referees, that is rarely a good thing.
In a game full of drama, Madley added his own. Not through control, but through presence. And when the final whistle blew, it was hard to shake the feeling that he had made it about him again.
### 🧠 Final Whistle: From Flat to Flying
That was chaos. Beautiful, ridiculous chaos.
For 45 minutes, Swansea looked second best. Forest were slick, clinical and two goals up without breaking sweat. We couldn’t string three passes together. The penalty shout was waved away. It felt like one of those nights.
Then something shifted. Ji-sung’s corner. Burgess rising like a wrecking ball. Suddenly the crowd was alive, the players were chasing everything and Forest, for all their Premier League polish, started to wobble.
They had chances to kill it. Didn’t take them. And we punished them.
Cullen’s cross. Vipotnik’s finish. Pandemonium. Then Galbraith hits the bar and Burgess, who had already dragged us back into it, throws himself at the rebound like his life depends on it. That’s not luck. That’s hunger.
This wasn’t just a cup win. It was a reminder that this team, still finding its feet, has fight. That Sheehan’s got something brewing. And that on nights like this, under the lights, with the East Stand roaring, anything is possible.
### 📅 What’s Next?
Swansea City travel to St Andrew’s on Saturday to face Birmingham City in the Championship. Kick-off is at 12:30pm, and they’ll arrive with momentum — and a point to prove.