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Ed Aarons was at the Amex tonight, and his report is in. Here it is! Congratulations to Forest, commiserations to Brighton, and thanks to you for reading this MBM.
Nuno Espírito Santo speaks to the BBC. “We are so so happy … such a stressful moment … to finish with the joy with our fans, we are delighted … Matz made a huge save that allows us to go … it is a huge moment for all of us … perfection doesn’t exist but we did really well … we controlled Brighton … we were dominant without the ball … we had real chances … credit for Brighton because they had chances … now we have to focus on the Premier League … but it will be a beautiful journey … a remarkable season.”
Nottingham Forest captain Ryan Yates, who sealed the deal, talks to the BBC: “I was a bit nervous to be fair … just so relieved it went in … Matz [Sels] saved two penalties and I just knew I had to capitalise and send us to Wembley … it has been an incredible season … we have achieved nothing yet … it will be a special day and I am so pleased for the supporters … overall I think we deserved it.”
At this point in an MBM we usually precis the entire match … but there’s really not a lot to be said about 135 distinctly uneventful minutes, and we only live once. Like Forest will care. Suffice to say Matz Sels made two big saves in the penalty shoot-out, while his opposite number Bart Verbruggen wasn’t able to make one. The hero of the hour, right there.
Yates and his team-mates are in raptures. Nottingham Forest are in the semi-finals of the FA Cup for the first time since 1991! They cavort in front of their fans. Nuno performs a passionate fist-pump. “We’re going to Wembley!” trill the Forest supporters. Brighton’s honour their fallen heroes with a chant of “Albion! Albion!” as their wait for a first major trophy goes on. Forest are one step away from their first FA Cup final since 1991, and two from their first win in the competition since 1959!
PENALTIES: Brighton 3-4 Forest. Now it’s Forest’s captain. Yates fires powerfully into the bottom left, and Forest are going to Wembley! They’re in the semis. Yates races up the other end to celebrate with his fans.
PENALTIES: Brighton 3-3 Forest. Brighton captain Dunk needs to score. Like Milenkovic before him, he slots beautifully into the bottom right. Sels went the correct way but had no chance of reaching the perfectly placed kick.
PENALTIES: Brighton 2-3 Forest. Milenkovic whips nervelessly into the bottom right. Verbruggen guesses well but still can’t get there. Tucked right into the corner.
PENALTIES: Brighton 2-2 Forest. Gomez kisses the ball before placing it on the spot. He catches it well … but batters it straight at Sels, just a little left of centre! Great reaction by Sels.
PENALTIES: Brighton 2-2 Forest. Williams looks confident … but leans back and blazes over the bar! Back to parity.
PENALTIES: Brighton 2-2 Forest. Hinshelwood goes for the bottom right … but it’s a scuffer. Sels guesses correctly and blocks easily. Advantage Forest!
PENALTIES: Brighton 2-2 Forest. Hudson-Odoi, who scored the winning penalty against Ipswich in the last round, whistles his into the top left after a rat-a-tat run-up. Nerveless!
PENALTIES: Brighton 2-1 Forest. Gruda takes a short run-up. A blow-out of the cheeks. Nervous? No way. He sidefoots calmly into the bottom left, Sels given the eyes and sent the wrong way. Great pen.
PENALTIES: Brighton 1-1 Forest. Anderson first up for Forest. He slots into the bottom right, having sent Verbruggen the wrong way.
PENALTIES: Brighton 1-0 Forest. The spot kicks will take place in front of the Brighton fans. Forest’s support stuck up the other end. Joao Pedro to take the first one. He whips it into the left-hand side of the net. Sels guesses correctly but had no chance.
The second half was better than the non-event of the first. And extra-time was better than all of that. But these have not been high bars to clear. It’s just not happened for anyone in front of goal tonight. We’ll get some net-bothering action now, though. Both players get in their huddles as they prepare for penalties. Verbruggen and Sels prepare to become the star.
Penalties it is!
ET 30 min +1: Anderson tries to release Elanga with a long rake down the middle. Van Hecke reads the danger and intercepts. Joao Pedro tries to tee up Gruda, who slips and claims a penalty, but come on. The referee not interested.
ET 30 min: Joao Pedro tries to work space for a shot on the edge of the Forest box, but Anderson blocks. Forest hanging on a bit here at the very end. There will be one extra minute.
ET 29 min: Gibbs-White makes way for Morato.
ET 28 min: Brighton get the ball into the net! Baleba sends a diagonal ball towards Estupinan, in the clear in the Forest box to the left of goal. Estupinan heads across the face of goal. Joao Pedro pokes home from close range, but it’s not going to count. Estupinan was clearly offside when Baleba started the move. Nobody really celebrates or complains.
ET 27 min: Gomez’s delivery isn’t all that, but the ball deflects off the Forest wall and out for a corner on the left. Estupinan trots across to take it, then fails to beat the first man. Pretty much everyone running on empty here. Penalties might be interesting.
ET 26 min: Joao Pedro dribbles down the inside-right channel and draws a foul from Murillo. A light tug on the shirt and not much contact, but enough for the ref to blow his whistle. Murillo too tired to argue the toss. Just a grimace. A free kick just to the right of the Forest D.
ET 24 min: Gruda is the latest to go into the book for a cynical tug on an in-flight player. Silva the victim this time.
ET 23 min: Anderson lumps a simple pass down the middle. Van Hecke hesitates, 12 yards out, under the high ball. Silva nearly nips in ahead. Silva extends a leg to poke something goalwards. The ball deflects wide right. Nothing comes of the resulting corner. Both teams are being betrayed by their nerves now.
ET 22 min: Estupinan opts to go directly for goal, aiming for the near post. Always wide. What a waste.
ET 21 min: Adingra advances down the right. Williams sticks out a leg and earns himself a booking. A free kick just outside the box, in a very dangerous position. Estupinan prepares to curl it into a packed Forest area.
ET 20 min: Adingra pearls a shot-cum-cross goalwards from the right. Sels gets in the way again. Brighton turning up the heat.
ET 19 min: Gruda barges down the inside-right channel and cuts back from the byline for Gomez, who aims a fine header towards the top right. Sels acrobatically tips over the bar, then claims Estupinan’s corner. Great football all round!
ET 18 min: Minteh goes down with cramp. He’s really feeling it. He gets back up, but doesn’t move around with any confidence.
ET 17 min: Adingra again from the right. His looping cross falls to Gomez, six yards out. A huge chance, but he’s racing in to meet the ball at speed and takes a fresh-air swipe! Forest breathe again.
ET 16 min: Brighton immediately on the front foot. Adingra’s cross hits Yates. A claim for handball and a penalty. Nothing doing.
Brighton get the second period of extra time underway. Joao Pedro waves his arms around to encourage the home fans to make some noise. His wish is granted.
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