Nottingham Forest have reached the FA Cup semifinals for the first time in 34 years, as they beat Brighton 4-3 on penalty kicks after a 0-0 draw over 120 minutes at the Amex on Saturday.
MORE — FA Cup schedule | List of FA Cup winners, finals
Nuno Espirito Santo’s side were dangerous throughout but missed injured talisman Chris Wood up top and couldn’t finish off their chances. Brighton had some big chances too, especially in extra time, but Fabian Hurzeler’s side saw both Jack Hinshelwood and Diego Gomez denied by Matz Sels in the penalty shootout.
That set the scene for Forest captain Ryan Yates to step up and score the winning penalty kick to send the away fans wild as Forest’s players and staff ran to celebrate with them.
Not content with unexpectedly being in the hunt for Champions League qualification late in the Premier League season, Forest are now heading to Wembley for an FA Cup semifinal too.
Nuno’s Forest bend but don’t break
This was an ugly, brutal game and that’s just the way Nuno and Forest like it. There’s no disrespect in that statement whatsoever. So many teams would love to grind out results like Forest do but they can’t. Nuno Espirito Santo is a fine manager at having teams well-organized and using the small margins to get results. The fact Forest have won three FA Cup ties on penalty kicks to get to the semifinal stage this season will have talk of “destiny” swirling in the air and why not? Forest have been playing with house money for many months now and not only are they looking very good in the Champions League hunt late in the season after their remarkable turnaround, but they now also have an FA Cup semifinal in April to look forward to too. There will be no fear in Forest’s team when they walk out at Wembley and they have absolutely nothing to lose. That is very dangerous for whoever they come up against in the semifinals. Based on their league position, Forest should now be the favorites to win this competition. Most will fancy Aston Villa or Man City to win it all, but Forest have that wonderful knack of hanging in there and not making mistakes to beat themselves. That is a wonderful trait to have. Especially in the chaos of the cup.
Brighton vs Nottingham Forest player ratings (via FotMob.com)
What’s next?
Both teams are back in Premier League action in midweek as Brighton host Aston Villa on Wednesday, April 2, while Nottingham Forest host Manchester United on Tuesday, April 1.
Brighton vs Nottingham Forest score: 0-0
Brighton vs Nottingham Forest live updates! — By Joe Prince-Wright
Yates sends Forest to Wembley!
Ryan Yates, the Forest skipper, slams home the penalty kick as Verbruggen gets a hand on it but can’t keep it out. Forest win 4-3 on penalty kicks. For the third time in the FA Cup this season they’ve won on penalty kicks.
Who else but Mr. @NFFC?
— Emirates FA Cup (@EmiratesFACup) March 29, 2025
Ryan Yates sends Nottingham Forest to Wembley 🏆#EmiratesFACup pic.twitter.com/8TU2jacGwf
Dunk makes it 3-3...
Brighton’s skipper slots home. He puts the pressure on Forest for their final penalty.
Milenkovic slots home to make it 3-2!
Calm from the Forest center back. Forest are so close to Wembley...
Sels saves Gomez’s penalty
Gomez went for power but drilled it straight at Sels who stood tall, didn’t dive and saves.
Williams skies his effort!
Welsh defender Neco Williams smashes the ball over the bar. He got it all wrong. It’s still 2-2 after three penalty kicks each.
Sels saves Hinshelwood’s poor penalty
Teenager Hinshelwood doesn’t look relaxed and his tame effort is easily saved by Sels.
Hudson-Odoi with a fine penalty to make it 2-2
Short run up from CHO and he curls it into the top corner. Superb pen.
Gruda calmly slots home to make it 2-1
Brilliant penalty kick from Gruda as he strolled up and waited for Sels to move before slotting home. Classy.
Elliott Anderson slots home to make it 1-1
That was so calm from Anderson. Verbruggen dived early to his right and Anderson went the other way.
Joao Pedro makes it 1-0 to Brighton
Cool and calm from Joao Pedro the penalty king. He smashes home.
Penalty kicks!
It finishes 0-0 after 120 minutes and we have penalty kicks under the lights at the Amex.
Brighton have the ball in the net, but the flag is up
Joao Pedro taps home but the flag is up. Estupinan was clearly offside when the initial ball came in. Brighton thought they had won it right at the end of extra time!
Diego Gomez can’t finish at the back post, then is denied by Sels
A looping cross to the back post finds the onrushing Diego Gomez but it’s at an awkward height and he can’t keep his finish down. Moments later another cross is clipped in by Gruda and Gomez is there again to send a header on target but Sels pulls off a brilliant save to tip it over.
Nothing happening in extra time so far
The first 15 minutes was a proper stalemate. Neither side are taking risks in going for it and we seemed destined for penalty kicks.
We are heading to extra time!
Nothing could separate these two teams during 90 minutes, so we’re going to extra time with 30 more minutes to try and find a winner. If not, penalty kicks will decide which team is heading to Wembley for the semifinals.
Rutter is off with an injury
Georginio Rutter is off as he went down with an injury. Gruda is on in his place. A lovely ovation for Rutter who looks emotional as he hobbles off. Simon Adingra and Joao Pedro are on for Welbeck and Mitoma.
Elanga denied by Verbruggen
The ball is played in through the middle and Elanga is in. But Verbruggen makes a good stop down low in front of the Forest fans.
Penalty to Forest... but VAR has asked the ref to look at the monitor and he overturns it!
First Yates goes down in the box and wants a penalty and while VAR is checking, Anderson goes down after Mitoma slid in. That is being checked too as Mitoma slid in but Anderson left his foot in and it hit Mitoma’s arm while he was on the floor. No penalty. That is the right decision, even though Mitoma took a risk by sliding in.
Elanga and Hudson-Odoi are on
What a duo this is to bring on! Forest make a double sub and wingers Anthony Elanga and Callum Hudson-Odoi come on for Danilo and Awoniyi. It looks like Nuno Espirito Santo is pushing Gibbs-White up front with Hudson-Odoi and Elanga.
Hinshelwood heads wide
A corner is whipped in and both Hinshelwood and Van Hecke are there to head home, but the former flicks wide. Van Hecke should have given him a shout to leave it because he had a better angle to attack that. Still, Brighton pushing for the opener.
Gibbs-White denied by Verbruggen
Lovely strike from Gibbs-White from outside the box. He drills it at goal and Verbruggen is forced to tip it over. That was probably hitting the crossbar. Great hit. This is more like it!
Rutter drills a shot just over
That is a lovely turn from Rutter and from a tight angle he almost squeezes home a powerful effort but it flies just over the bar. That was great play to engineer the opportunity. Promising start to the second half!
Half time: Brighton 0-0 Nottingham Forest
A very even first half with very few chances for either side. Forest’s Awoniyi forced a save from Verbruggen, while Ayari and Baleba have both gone close from outside the box for Brighton.
Baleba drills just wide
Brighton midfield Carlos Baleba drills a low shot just wide of the post. Most of the home fans thought that was in. Lovely strike and it spanks a camera positioned behind the goal. I hope they have insurance for that camera...
Wait to see the damage Carlos Baleba's shot did to this camera 😱#EmiratesFACup pic.twitter.com/9TUIFF7Uew
— Emirates FA Cup (@EmiratesFACup) March 29, 2025
Sels shovels away Estupinan’s shot
A long-range shot from Ecuadorian left back Pervis Estupinan is on target and dipping and swerving, so Sels decides to push it away rather than gather the ball. Bit unorthodox save but it got the job done. Brighton starting to build some momentum.
Ayari’s deflected shot flies just wide
Brighton finally get going in attack and the ball falls to Ayari outside the box and Yates just gets a touch on his low shot as it flies wide. Better from the hosts.
Verbruggen denies Awoniyi
Forest are on top now and Taiwo Awoniyi is played in and drills a low shot on target but Bart Verbruggen saves well. In the absence of Chris Wood, Awoniyi is making a real nuisance of himself early on.
Cagey start at the Amex
There are some late challenges flying in and Baleba has caught Anderson and Awoniyi catches Van Hecke. There is some spice in this game, as you might remember from earlier in the Premier League season when Gibbs-White was sent off at Brighton in a 2-2 thriller.
Brighton lineup
Verbruggen; Hinshelwood, Van Hecke, Webster, Estupinan; Baleba, Ayari; Minteh, Rutter, Mitoma; Welbeck
Nottingham Forest lineup
Sels; Aina, Milenkovic, Murillo, Williams; Dominguez, Anderson, Yates; Gibbs-White, Awoniyi, Danilo
Brighton team news, focus
Even with so many injuries the Seagulls are soaring. They have Welbeck, Mitoma, Joao Pedro, Rutter and Minteh in attack leading their charge and they have found some solidity in defense. Baleba is a key part of that in central midfield, while Estupinan is almost back to his best at left back. Brighton may play slightly more cautiously given the thumping they took at Forest but it’s really not in their DNA to sit back and Hurzeler will demand plenty of high-pressing.
OUT: Tariq Lamptey (ankle), Igor Julio (hamstring), Jason Steele (shoulder), James Milner (thigh), Ferdi Kadioglu (toe). QUESTIONABLE: Matthew O’Riley (knee), Lewis Dunk (abdominal), Solly March (undisclosed), Joel Veltman (ankle)
Nottingham Forest team news, focus
The sight of Chris Wood hobbling off for New Zealand over the international break is not what Forest fans wanted to see. Their top goalscorer is so key to finishing off the many crosses they whip into the box and is crucial to their gameplan. Wood is out injured for this huge quarterfinal, so Taiwo Awoniyi will likely start up top and he’s a very good back-up option. With Elanga, Hudson-Odoi and Gibbs-White marauding forward from midfield positions, Brighton had a really tough time getting the balance right against Forest’s flyers last month. Can Forest get the balance right at Brighton? They will sit back and look to pounce on the counter.
OUT: Carlos Miguel (thigh), Chris Wood (hip)
Brighton vs Nottingham Forest prediction
It feels like the Seagulls will get revenge here. That defeat at Forest was the best thing that could have happened to them as they were drifting along. This should be a fun one as both teams have a fluid front four and love to be direct on the counter. Brighton 3-2 Nottingham Forest.
Brighton vs Nottingham Forest preview
Forest pummeled Brighton 7-0 at the City Ground in February as Fabian Hurzeler’s side were humbled in spectacular fashion. But since then Brighton have been on a tear as that hammering reignited their season as they’ve won six of their last seven games in all competitions (two wins against Chelsea, a win at Newcastle and a draw at Man City among those results) and are unbeaten in that stretch. Mitoma, Joao Pedro and Minteh are such a handful and Brighton have regained their hunger and focus that was prevalent at the start of the season. Oh how they’d love to beat Forest and get revenge for that shock defeat last month. Brighton have never won the FA Cup but have reached the semifinals in two of the last six seasons.
Nottingham Forest just keep on trucking towards their unlikely Champions League qualification under Nuno Espirito Santo. They drew at home against Arsenal, won at home against Manchester City and won at Ipswich in the Premier League in recent weeks as they’ve kept themselves in third place in the table and have warmed up nicely for this FA Cup quarterfinal. Elanga, Gibbs-White and Hudson-Odoi remain constant threats, but talismanic forward Chris Wood is out. Forest haven’t reached the FA Cup semifinals since 1991 when they were runners up as they lost in the final to Tottenham Hotspur.
How to watch Brighton vs Nottingham Forest live, stream link and start time
Kick off time: 1:15pm ET Saturday (March 29)
Venue: Amex Stadium — Falmer
TV/streaming: ESPN+
