29 MARCH 2025
Brighton and Hove Albion v Nottingham Forest 0-0 90 mins
0-0 After extra Time :Albion 3 Forest 4 after penalties
Following the fourth and final international break of the season, the Albion were back on their FA Cup journey, this time a Quarter-Final clash with Nottingham Forest at the Amex, the match being covered "live" by the BBC1 television cameras and broadcast by BBC Radio 5 Live, Talksport and BBC Radio Sussex Sport.
The teams had already met twice in the Premier this season, drawing 2-2 at the Amex on the 22 September 2024 and Forest thrashed the Seagulls 7-0 at The City Ground on the 1 February 2025.
Last time out the Albion had drawn 2-2 at Manchester City in the Premier on the 15 March and for the visit of Forest the Albion made two changes to their starting line-up from that game, with Yasin Ayari and Danny Welbeck coming in for Diego Gomez and Joao Pedro. On the substitutes bench for the Seagulls was the fit-again Lewis Dunk.
In their previous outing Forest had won 4-2 at Ipswich Town in the Premier on the 15 March and forthe visit to the Amex Head Coach Nuno Espirito Santo made three changes to his starting line-up from the Ipswich game, with Ryan Yates, Danilo and Taiwo Awoniyi replacing Anthony Elanga, Callum Hudson-Odoi and Chris Wood (injured).
After all the pre-match hype, the game turned out to be a bit of a damp squib with Forest surprisingly dropping potential match-winners Anthony Elanga and Callum Hudson-Odoi to the substitutes bench.
First-half was confined to a midfield battle/stalmate with Yasin Ayari, Carlos Baleba and Pervis Estupinan going close for the hosts with long-range efforts.
Half-time 0-0.
Following the break, Georginio Rutter fired over the bar and Jack Hinshelwood went close with a header from a corner, when he should have done better. Forest showed more attacking intent on the hour mark, substituting Anthony Elanga and Callum Hudson-Odoi for Danilo and Taiwo Awoniyi.
On 64 minutes Referee Peter Bankes awarded Forest a penalty when Kaoru Mitoma was harshly adjudged to have brought down Elliot Anderson in the box. VAR intervened and Referee Bankes was forced to announce to the crowd that there had been no foul and he reversed his decision. Quite right to!
The Albion lost Rutter to a nasty looking injury on 75 minutes, Brajan Gruda substituting. Both teams had been as bad as each other in normal time.
90 mins: 0-0.
Extra time saw Lewis Dunk replace the injured Adam Webster from the start and that was the highlight of the first-half of extra-time. 105 mins: 0-0.
The second-half of extra-time saw Forest keeper Matz Sels make a superb save in tipping over a bullet header from Albion substitute Diego Gomez and near the end fellow substitute Joao Pedro had a potential winning goal disallowed for offside. On to penalties. 120 mins: 0-0.
Penalty shoot-out. Ten penalties were taken. Hinshelwood and Gomez had their penalties saved by keeper Sels and Neco Williams blasted his penalty over the crossbar for Forest.Forest had won the penalty shoot-out 4-3 and were on their way to Wembley for a semi-final clash with Manchester City. The other semi-final will be contested by Aston Villa and Crystal Palace.
Match stats:
Albion had 13 attempts at goal, with 2 on target and won 6 corners, free-kicks conceded - 19.
Forest had 13 attempts at goal, with 5 on target and won 7 corners, free-kicks conceded - 10.
TO SUM UP - A disappointing game, result and outcome for the Albion and there is the possibility that Adam Webster and Georginio Rutter will miss the rest of the season, due to the injuries they sustained. The forwards were particularly poor in this game, so the Albion will have to bounce back at home to Aston Villa on the 2 April.
Albion line-up (4-2-3-1):- Bart VERBRUGGEN; Jack HINSHELWOOD, Jan Paul VAN HECKE, Adam WEBSTER (Lewis DUNK 90), Pervis ESTUPINAN; Carlos BALEBA, Yasin AYARI (Diego GOMEZ 80); Yankuba MINTEH, Georginio RUTTER (Brajan GRUDA 75), Kaoru MITOMA (Simon ADINGRA 72); Danny WELBECK (Joao PEDRO 72).
Subs not used: Tom McGILL (G/K), Eiran CASHIN, Matt O'RILEY, Charlie TASKER.
Nottingham Forest line-up (4-2-3-1):- Matz SELS; Ola ALNA, Nikola MILENKOVIC, MURILLO, Neco WILLIAMS; Ryan YATES (Capt), Elliot ANDERSON; Nicolas DOMINGUEZ (Jota SILVA 96), Morgan GIBBS-WHITE (MORATO 120), DANILO (Callum HUDSON-ODOI 61); Taiwo AWONIYI (Anthony ELANGA 61). Subs not used: Carlos MIGUEL (G/K), William BOLY, Alex MORENO, Harry TOFFOLO, Ibrahim SANGARA..
Referee: Peter Bankes (Lancashire).
Fourth Official: Thomas Bramall.
VAR Official: Paul Tierney.
Yellow Cards:
Albion: 2 - Pervis Estupinan, Brajan Gruda.
Forest: 4 - Neco Williams, Ryan Yates, Nicolas Dominguez, Morgan Gibbs-White.
Possession: Albion - 53%. Forest - 47%.
BBC Sport Player of the Match: Matz Sels (Forest).
Attendance: 29930.
FORTHCOMING FIXTURES:
5 APRIL 2025 - CRYSTAL PALACE - Away - Premier League - kick-off 15.00.
Jack Kaye.
1 April 2025.