Nottingham Forest advanced to the semi-finals of the Emirates FA Cup after a 4-3 penalty shoot-out over Brighton & Hove Albion.
Clear-cut chances were few and far between as neither side could find the back of the net over the course of the game, and after 120 minutes of goalless action on the south coast, the tie was forced into Forest’s third penalty shootout of this season’s competition to determine who would take a place in the final four of the Emirates FA Cup.
The superb Matz Sels made two saves in the shootout to see Forest through.
As it happened
In the previous two meetings between the sides this season, there had been eleven goals scored, which hinted at an entertaining affair down on the south coast. However, the hype surrounding the fixture was not in equal measure on the pitch, with clear-cut chances few and far between in the opening 45 minutes.
The clearest opportunity of the first half fell to the visitors after 15 minutes as the ball spun in-behind for Taiwo Awoniyi who struck the ball goalwards. Bart Verbruggen was equal to the Nigerian striker as Brighton cleared the danger.
More long range efforts came for Fabian Hürzeler’s Brighton as Pervis Estupiñán received the ball almost 40 yards away from goal, taking a touch before he decided to test the in-form Matz Sels who had to remain alert as the ball bounced just in front of him. Just before the break, Carlos Baleba leathered an effort just wide of Sels left-hand post.
The break allowed Hürzeler to have some stern words with his side and it initially worked, as Brighton started the second period as the brighter of the two sides. A set piece was well worked into the area as Georgino Rutter turned and blasted an effort over the bar on an acute angle.
There were multiple calls for a penalty for the visitors and their second appeal was initially given by referee Darren England as Kaoru Mitoma was adjudged to have brought down Elliot Anderson inside the box. Upon review, it appeared that Anderson initiated the contact and the spot kick was overturned.
Morgan Gibbs-White played the ball through into the vacant space behind the Seagulls‘ defense for Elanga who looked to poke past Verbruggen, but the Dutch keeper stayed strong to keep the scoreboard level.
Elanga then received the ball down the left channel and motored towards Brighton’s area as he looked to find Gibbs-White at the back post. His choice of pass evaded both Gibbs-White and the post as the recent England debutant collided with the woodwork trying to reach the cross.
With eight minutes of added time announced to the crowd, Adam Webster needed lengthy treatment for an hamstring issue, which caused more time to be added on.
With over 100 minutes played, extra time was still required to separate the two sides with a place in the semi-finals of the FA Cup and a trip to Wembley still to play for.
Brighton thought they had scored a late winner when Pedro tapped in from a header across goal but the linesman’s flag was raised immediately. Both sides could not find a winner as the game was forced into a penalty shoot-out.
Sels was the hero for the visitors with two saves in the shootout denying Hinshelwood and Gómez either side of Neco Williams’ effort that was blazed over the target. Forest take their place alongside Crystal Palace in the semi-finals with the draw scheduled for tomorrow afternoon.
The lineups
BHA: Verbruggen; Hinshelwood, van Hecke, Webster, Estupiñán; Baleba, Ayari; Minteh, Rutter, Mitoma; Welbeck
NFO: Sels; Aina, Milenković, Murillo, Williams; Yates, Danilo; Domínguez, Gibbs-White, Anderson; Awoniyi