Matz Sels’ save saw Nottingham Forest beat Ipswich 5-4 on penalties to reach the 2024-25 FA Cup Quarter-Finals, following a 1-1 draw at the City Ground.
The first nine penalty-kicks between both teams were scored but Matz Sels crucially saved Jack Taylor’s spot-kick to see Forest through to the Quarter-Finals, having needed penalties to overcome Exeter in the Fourth Round.
George Hirst nodded Ipswich into an initial 54th minute lead from Ben Johnson’s cross, although his header did take a deflection off Matz Sels’ right-leg on its way in.
Ryan Yates pulled Forest level with his header from Anthony Elanga’s 68th minute cross.
A trip to Brighton at the AMEX Stadium now await Forest in the Quarter-Finals on Saturday 29 March.
With Forest focused on their top-four battle in the Premier League whilst Ipswich fight for their survival, it wasn’t surprising to see many changes but the Tractor Boys initially looked more lively as Nathan Broadhead’s third-minute header was saved by Sels.
Forest soon found their footing with a couple of corner-kicks in the ninth minute, of which the latter corner was headed wide across goal by Ibrahim Sangare.
Luke Woolfenden kept Ipswich in the game with a 13th minute deflection of Anthony Elanga’s chipped shot, before the Swede curled over the top-right corner ten minutes later.
Elanga continued to prove problematic for Ipswich’s defence with a 36th-minute cross into the box towards Alex Moreno, who was tackled by Woolfenden with the ball deflected for Danilo whose shot was blocked as Ipswich dug in to hold Forest into half-time.
Forest continued to push for the opening goal early in the second half as Elanga and Danilo were denied in the space of barely two minutes.
Ipswich however weren’t prepared to settle and almost snatched a stunning lead from Sam Morsy’s 53rd-minute strike from around 30 yards, which was flicked behind by Sels.
Sels however gifted Ipswich the lead barely a minute later with a deflective right-leg touch of Hirst’s header which was on its way in anyway, after the 26 year-old forward nodded Johnson’s corner downwards on the bounce at the far-right post.
Forest nevertheless fought to get back into the tie and got their equaliser from Yates’ 68th minute header after the midfielder met Elanga’s deep cross into the box from the right flank.
Ipswich soon found themselves on the defensive racks as they dug deep to clear a series of 72nd-minute crosses, before Forest substitute, Elliot Anderson blasted wide on his rebound strike from outside of the box.
Further luck came just three minutes later for Kieran McKenna’s Tractor Boys via the offside flag after Yates nodded in from Morato’s flick-on headed pass from a corner nodded around the box, only for the 27 year-old Nottingham-born player to be denied by his initial offside position as he met the header.
Alex Palmer enjoyed a strong game in goal for Ipswich and crucially kept them in the tie with a 81st minute flicked save of Murillo’s shot, before Callum Hudson-Odoi curled over the top-right corner onto the crossbar from Elanga’s short corner-kick delivery.
Neither team ultimately were able to find a winner to avoid extra time which continued to prove a see-saw battle with two chances in the 95th minute, as Morsy first curled wide for Ipswich before Elanga chipped over from Gibbs-White’s pass on a Forest counter-attack up the left.
Conor Townsend saw a brilliantly-delivered free-kick saved just minutes later by Sels before Chris Wood headed over for Forest, whilst Hudson-Odoi smashed a shot wide for the hosts as both teams chased a winner.
Morato nearly handed Ipswich a chance to snatch the win from the penalty spot with a 109th minute foul on Liam Delap just on the edge of the box, yet referee – Tony Harrington shunned the Tractor Boys’ appeals for a free-kick or penalty such was the narrow margin of Morato’s foul to deny Delap a goalscoring opportunity.
Forest pushed for a late winner but Jota Silva fired wide whilst Murillo’s 20-yard effort struck his own teammate, Yates, as the tie ultimately went to a penalty shootout.
Both Forest and Ipswich converted their first four penalties each and Hudson-Odoi netted Forest’s fifth, before Sels dived correctly to his left to deny Taylor and send the Tricky Trees through to the Quarter-Finals, where they will visit Brighton.
What’s Next?
Forest must immediately turn their attention back to the Premier League as they host Manchester City in a crunch top-four race showdown on Saturday 8 March at 12:30pm GMT.
Ipswich are too back in top-flight action that day as they visit Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park in a 3pm GMT kick-off, before they then host Forest at Portman Road on 15 March at the same kick-off time.
Teams
Nottingham Forest: Matz Sels, Ola Aina, Murillo, Morato, Alex Moreno (Williams 82′), Danilo (Anderson 59′), Ibrahim Sangare (Gibbs-White 60′), Anthony Elanga (Silva 105′), Ryan Yates, Callum Hudson-Odoi, Taiwo Awoniyi (Wood 82′)
Substitutes: Elliot Anderson, Willy Boly, Nicolas Dominguez, Jota Silva, Morgan Gibbs-White, Wayne Hennessey, Ramon Sosa, Neco Williams, Chris Wood
Ipswich: Alex Palmer, Axel Tuanzebe (O’Shea 46′), Luke Woolfenden, Cameron Burgess (Greaves 46′), Ben Johnson, Jack Taylor, Sam Morsy, Massimo Luongo (Cajuste 67′), Conor Townsend, George Hirst (Delap 90+2′), Nathan Broadhead (Clarke 67′)
Substitutes: Jens Cajuste, Jack Clarke, Leif Davis, Liam Delap, Jacob Greaves, Arijanet Muric, Dara O’Shea, Jaden Philogene, Tom Taylor
Referee – Tony Harrington
