Courtesy: FA Cup/X
Ryan Yates, the Nottingham Forest captain, converted a decisive penalty in the shootout, to send his team to the semi-finals of the FA Cup after 34 years at the expense of Brighton at the American Express Stadium on Saturday, March 29. After scoring the match-winning goal, the 27-year-old ran the length of the pitch after which he was involved in a wild celebration with his teammates at the away end of the stadium where the Nottingham Forest fans were seated.
The FA Cup 2024-25 quarter-final between hosts Brighton and Nottingham Forest lacked quality especially in the attacking third of the pitch, which meant that it stayed 0-0 at full-time, and the 30 minutes of extra-time was goalless as well. With the penalty shootout to decide which of the teams will play the FA Cup semi-final in Wembley, Nottingham Forest goalkeeper Matz Sels stepped-up for his team.
He saved the penalties of Jack Hinshelwood and Diego Gomez from Brighton, which played a key role in giving Ryan Yates the chance to convert the decisive penalty after one of his teammates Neco Williams had put his attempt over the bar in front of opposition goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen. With that, Nottingham Forest are now set to play in the semi-finals of the FA Cup for the first-time since 1991.
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FA Cup semi-final opponents of Nottingham Forest will be determined in a draw on March 30
Moreover, it was the third straight win on penalties for Nottingham Forest in the FA Cup 2024-25 after they got the better of Ipswich Town 1-1 (5-4) and Exeter City 2-2(4-2) in the previous two rounds of the competition. The semi-final opponents of Nottingham Forest in the FA Cup will be determined on Sunday, March 30, after the competition of the remaining two quarter-finals of the tournament.
Prior to Nottingham Forest’s win over Brighton, it was Crystal Palace, who humbled Fulham at the Craven Cottage in London with a 3-0 score in the other quarter-final of the FA Cup.
