Matz Sels' Heroics Seal Nottingham Forest's FA Cup Quarter-Final Spot
What a night at the City Ground! Nottingham Forest have booked their place in the FA Cup quarter-finals after a dramatic penalty shootout win over Ipswich Town. And the man of the moment? None other than Matz Sels, the Belgian goalkeeper who once again proved his class, making a crucial save to deny Jack Taylor and send Forest through.
The game itself was a tense affair. Both sides came into this match with very different priorities—Forest, balancing their surprising push for a Champions League spot, and Ipswich, battling for survival in the league. With that in mind, both managers made significant changes, 14 in total, from their previous matches. It was a game of fine margins, and in the end, it all came down to who could hold their nerve.
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The first half lacked clear-cut chances. Forest, despite their superior quality, struggled to break down a disciplined Ipswich side. Anthony Elanga was a constant threat with his blistering pace, but Forest couldn’t convert possession into goals. Meanwhile, Ipswich showed resilience but lacked a real cutting edge going forward.
Then, finally, the game sparked into life in the second half. Ipswich took a surprise lead when George Hirst reacted quickest to a loose ball from a corner, squeezing his header through the legs of Sels. That goal woke Forest up, and just 15 minutes later, they found their equalizer. Elanga whipped in a perfect cross, and captain Ryan Yates rose highest to nod it home, sending the home crowd into raptures.
From that point on, it felt like Forest had the momentum. They pushed hard for a winner, even having the ball in the net again through Yates—only for the offside flag to cut celebrations short. The game edged towards extra time, and although Callum Hudson-Odoi had a chance with one of his trademark curling efforts, neither side could find a breakthrough.
And so, to penalties we went. The shootout was almost perfect—nine penalties buried with precision. Then, up stepped Jack Taylor for Ipswich, needing to score to keep them in it. But Sels had other ideas. Diving low to his left, he got behind the shot and sent Forest into the last eight. The celebrations were wild, his teammates mobbing him in pure elation.
It wasn’t the most thrilling FA Cup game, but it had its drama, and in the end, Forest showed the composure needed to progress. Now, they turn their attention to the next challenge—Brighton in the quarter-finals. Can they keep this cup run alive? One thing’s for sure: with Matz Sels between the posts, they’ll always have a fighting chance.
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