Nottingham Forest progressed to the quarter-finals of the FA Cup as they saw off Ipswich Town 5-4 on penalties after the game had finished 1-1 after extra-time.
The Reds went into the tie knowing a trip to face Brighton and Hove Albion was the prize for the victors. Although head coach Nuno Espirito Santo made six changes to his starting line-up, he still named a reasonably strong XI against the Tractor Boys.
Forest made a positive start and looked the more likely to break the deadlock; they just lacked a bit of cutting edge in the final third. Ibrahim Sangare headed a corner wide early on, while Alex Moreno and Anthony Elanga both blazed efforts off target.Ipswich goalkeeper Alex Palmer was having a relatively easy time of it as the hosts struggled to muster a shot on target. Danilo came the closest with a drive which Luke Woolfenden got in the way of.
The Reds looked a greater threat in the opening minutes of the second half as Elanga and Danilo forced saves. But having been unable to make the most of those opportunities, they fell behind in the 53rd minute when George Hirst was left unmarked at the far post to bundle home from a corner.
The visitors’ lead did not last long. A Ryan Yates header from an Elanga cross in the 68th minute put Forest back on level terms.
The hosts pushed for a winner as Yates had another header ruled out for offside, Murillo forced a save and Callum Hudson-Odoi hit the woodwork. But with no further breakthroughs, the game went to extra-time and eventually penalties. Chris Wood, Morgan Gibbs-White, Elliot Anderson, Neco Williams and Hudson-Odoi scored from the spot while Matz Sels saved from Jack Taylor to send his team through to the next round of the competition. Here’s how Reds reporter Sarah Clapson rated the Forest players at the City Ground.
Matz Sels: Set-pieces are threatening to become a bit of an issue for the Reds. A poor goal to concede for the opener – and particularly frustrating as it had been a quiet evening for the Belgian up until that point. Made a big save in the shootout. Rating: 7.5/10
Ola Aina: A bit better from the full-back after a dip in form in the Premier League. Looked steadier defensively than he has in recent games and did try to push on a bit, especially in the second half. Rating: 6.5/10
Morato: Generally solid enough but the Reds did seem to miss Nikola Milenkovic’s aerial dominance – with Hirst’s goal a case in point. Had to tread carefully after picking up a booking with an hour played. Rating: 7/10
Murillo: Dug into his box of tricks with a sublime back-heel flick in the box early on, just a shame it didn’t come to anything. Likewise, a characteristic fierce strike after the break which forced Alex Palmer into action. Rating: 7/10
Alex Moreno: Improved in the second half when he (and Forest in general) pushed forward more. Didn’t do enough to suggest he can force his way back into the first-choice XI any time soon, though. Rating: 6/10
Ibrahim Sangare: Started with intent by going close with a header in the opening minutes. Set the tone for a solid display from the midfielder. Hopefully bodes well for having a big role to play in the remainder of the season. Rating: 7/10
Ryan Yates: Came to the rescue when his team needed him by popping up with a lovely header. Epitomised the kind of determination he brings. Had the ball in the net again soon after, only to be denied by an offside call. Rating: 8/10
Danilo: Struggled to really get into the game, particularly during a relatively flat opening 45 minutes. Started the second half better by going for goal but still looked a bit off the pace before making way. Rating: 5.5/10
Callum Hudson-Odoi: Perhaps not as effective on the right as he is on the other side but still carried a threat. Might have given England boss Thomas Tuchel, who was in attendance, something to think about ahead of the upcoming international fixtures. Rating: 7/10
Taiwo Awoniyi: Didn’t get a great deal by way of service in the first half as the Reds lacked a spark in the final third. Touch let him down when the situation improved after the break. Quite a tough evening for the front man. Rating: 5.5/10
Anthony Elanga: Started on the left but drifted over to the right a fair bit to link up with Hudson-Odoi. Chipped in with some decent deliveries, including an excellent cross for the equaliser. Rating: 7/10
Subs
Elliot Anderson (for Danilo, 59mins): Made a difference initially when he came on as the Reds looked livelier. Wasn’t too far away with an effort soon after his introduction. Rating: 7/10
Morgan Gibbs-White (for Sangare, 59mins): Injected a bit of life into proceedings. Will no doubt have been eager to get on the pitch, given the England manager was watching on. Excellent spot-kick. Rating: 7.5/10
Chris Wood (for Awoniyi, 82mins): Called into action as the Reds tried to find a winner. But aside from a header in extra-time, barely had a sniff in front of goal. Took his penalty well. Rating: 6.5/10
Neco Williams (for Moreno, 82mins): Did well when he came on. Did his best to get the Reds going by pushing forward when he had the chance. Rating: 7.5/10
Jota Silva (for Elanga, 111mins): Dragged a shot wide soon after coming on. Didn’t really have long to get into the game before it went to a shootout. Rating: 6/10
Subs not used: Hennessey, Dominguez, Sosa, Boly.
