Nottingham Forest secured their place in the FA Cup quarter-finals with a dramatic penalty shootout victory over Ipswich Town, setting up a trip to Brighton in the next round.
Goalkeeper Matz Sels emerged as the hero of the night, making a crucial save to deny Jack Taylor and seal a 5-4 shootout triumph for the hosts.
The game had initially ended 1-1 in regulation time, with Ryan Yates canceling out George Hirst’s opener for Ipswich, forcing extra time before the decisive penalties.
England manager Thomas Tuchel, who was in attendance ahead of his first squad announcement for the upcoming World Cup qualifiers against Albania and Latvia, may not have found the encounter particularly insightful.
The match lacked intensity for much of the first half but came to life after the break.
Taylor, who was the only player to miss in the shootout, suffered a painful sense of déjà vu, having also squandered a penalty in Ipswich’s Carabao Cup defeat to League Two side AFC Wimbledon in August.
Forest, no strangers to penalty drama, had also overcome League One Exeter in a shootout in the previous round, winning 4-2.
Their remarkable campaign continues, with their attention now shifting back to the Premier League, where they are pushing for a Champions League spot.
Nuno Espirito Santo’s side, currently third, face a crucial home clash against Manchester City on Saturday, with the defending champions just a point behind in fourth.
“Every FA Cup draw we have to practice penalties,” Nuno revealed. “We kept the same order as Exeter.
“We did really well, they were good penalties. I believe it makes part of the game preparations. It’s dedication.
“It’s not nice [to watch] at all, anxiety, nervous, a mixture of emotions. I try not to watch and just wait for the noise.”
While a top-four finish remains a priority, the FA Cup presents Forest with a golden opportunity to end their long wait for silverware, with their last triumph in the competition dating back to 1959.
Ipswich, battling relegation in the league, had their sights set on rekindling their FA Cup glory from 1978 and gave themselves hope when they took the lead early in the second half.
The match sparked into action when Sels pushed Sam Morsy’s effort over the bar, leading to a corner from Ben Johnson.
From the set-piece, Hirst stooped low to head home his third goal of the season, watched on by Scotland manager Steve Clarke, with the uncapped forward eligible to represent Scotland through his grandfather.
However, Ipswich’s advantage was short-lived. Just 15 minutes later, Forest captain Yates nodded in an inviting cross from Anthony Elanga to restore parity.
Yates thought he had a second, but his effort was ruled out for offside as Forest pressed for a winner.
Callum Hudson-Odoi struck the crossbar as the hosts piled on the pressure, but neither side could find a breakthrough before the penalty shootout.
Displaying composure from the spot for the second FA Cup round in a row, Forest converted all five of their penalties with clinical precision.
Sels, who had previously denied Reece Cole in their shootout win over Exeter, once again delivered when it mattered, while Alex Palmer in the Ipswich goal could do little to stop Chris Wood, Morgan Gibbs-White, Elliot Anderson, Neco Williams, and Hudson-Odoi from firing their penalties home.
Gibbs-White’s celebration after netting his penalty, running to embrace Sels, showcased the unity that has defined Forest’s campaign.
The City Ground crowd played their part too, urging their side over the line despite a performance that never fully clicked in open play.
For Ipswich, it was another disappointing visit to Forest, extending their winless run at the City Ground to 16 matches, with their last victory there dating back to 1999.
Their FA Cup struggles against top-flight opposition continued as well, having now been eliminated in their last 14 ties against Premier League clubs since their triumph over Blackburn Rovers in the 1995-96 season.
Manager Kieran McKenna also confirmed further setbacks, revealing that defenders Axel Tuanzebe and Cameron Burgess suffered hamstring and calf injuries, respectively, after being forced off at halftime.
Their availability for Saturday’s crucial league fixture against Crystal Palace now remains uncertain.
Despite the loss, McKenna remained positive, “It was a high-quality shootout. The players will come in with renewed confidence with the way they competed, renewed belief in the squad and the way we are working.
“They will have good feelings from the performance. The biggest challenge is how we recover physically and how we recover for Saturday [at Palace].
“It’s a really disappointing way to lose the game but it can happen in a penalty shootout. One team is going to be on the wrong end of a really tough way to lose the match.”
