Nottingham Forest, led by manager Nuno Espírito Santo, who was dismissed from Tottenham Hotspur, is pursuing a trophy.
Nottingham faced Ipswich Town in the fifth round (round of 16) of the 2024-2025 England Football Association (FA) Cup at City Ground in Nottingham, England, on the 4th (Korean time), and after being tied 1-1 for 120 minutes, won 5-4 on penalties.
In this match, Nottingham operated a 4-2-3-1 formation, placing Taiwo Awoniyi at the forefront, with Callum Hudson-Odoi, Ryan Yates, and Anthony Elanga supporting from the second line. Ipswich employed a 4-4-2 formation, and George Hirst and Nathan Broadhead led the attack.
The match was conducted cautiously from the start. In the 3rd minute of the first half, Broadhead of Ipswich attempted a header shot but missed the goal. Nottingham countered with a shot from Yates in the 7th minute and a header from Sangare in the 9th minute, but neither led to goals.
Both teams tried to attack, but without creating decisive opportunities, the first half ended 0-0.
With the start of the second half, Ipswich made changes. They brought in O'Shea and Grieves to alter their attack, and it proved effective. In the 8th minute of the second half, Ben Johnson's corner kick was headed in by George Hirst from the right of the goal area, giving Ipswich the lead.
Nottingham immediately responded with a counterattack. In the 15th minute of the second half, they brought in Anderson and Gibbs-White for Danilo and Sangare to find a breakthrough. Then, in the 23rd minute of the second half, Yates finished off a cross from Odoi on the right side with a header to equalize.
In the 30th minute of the second half, Yates shook the net again with a header, but after a video review (VAR), it was ruled offside, and they failed to take the lead. Six minutes of additional time were granted, but both teams failed to score, leading the match into extra time.
In extra time, both teams exchanged attacks but were unable to capitalize on decisive chances, resulting in no additional goals and leading to penalties.
The penalty shootout began with Nottingham kicking first, and both teams succeeded without error through the fourth kicker, keeping the contest tight. However, the match was decided at the fifth kicker. Nottingham's Hudson-Odoi calmly scored, while Ipswich's Jack Taylor shot towards the right corner but was stopped by Nottingham goalkeeper Mats Sels, ending the match.
Nottingham emerged victorious in the penalty shootout with a score of 5-4, securing a ticket to the FA Cup quarter-finals.
Mats Sels of Nottingham, who showcased an impressive performance in the match, made a critical save against the fifth kicker's shot, leading the team to the quarter-finals. In a post-match interview, he noted, "It was a tough game, but maintaining concentration until the end was the driving force behind our victory."
Meanwhile, the FA Cup quarter-final matchups have been finalized. Nottingham Forest will clash with Brighton & Hove Albion for a spot in the semi-finals.
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