Nottingham Forest secured a crucial 2-1 victory against West Ham United. This victory improves their chances of qualifying for next year’s Champions League, the lucrative, premier club tourney. The friendly at the London Stadium opened with Morgan Gibbs-White netting just minutes into the first half. The lead was doubled in the second half as Nikola Milenkovic netted to put the result beyond doubt. Despite a late goal from West Ham’s Jarrod Bowen, Forest held on to the win, keeping them in touch with the Premier League’s top five.
Gibbs-White opened the scoring, finding the back of the net within 11 minutes of kickoff. The moment presented itself after a short goal kick from West Ham goalkeeper Alphonse Areola and Gibbs-White was there to pounce, helping score a crucial equalizer. Forest leapt to a quick lead and went up double-digits early. This momentum carried the day and opened the floodgates for strong play for the rest of the game.
Milenkovic’s Goal and Elanga’s Record
Then, in the 61st minute, Nikola Milenkovic put the final touches on this cake, largely thanks to a beautiful assist from Anthony Elanga. This marked Elanga’s 11th assist of the season, a feat that ties him with Bryan Roy’s Premier League record set during the 1994-95 season.
Milenkovic’s goal proved crucial in keeping the momentum with Nottingham Forest as they continued their charge towards Champions League qualification. Elanga’s consistent performance throughout the season has proven invaluable, and his ability to set up goals has made a significant impact on the team’s success.
Intense Finish and Manager Reactions
The match extended beyond regulation time, with an additional 17 minutes played due to a VAR check for offside, scuffles on the pitch, and time-wasting tactics. The VAR review for Milenkovic’s goal took six minutes, only to confirm that it was on-side and legitimate. Despite West Ham’s late surge, highlighted by Bowen’s goal in the 86th minute, Nottingham Forest managed to hold their ground.
West Ham manager Graham Potter reflected on the game, stating, “We started with an error we didn’t need to make but sometimes that happens.” He acknowledged that his team struggled to recover from Forest’s early goal and praised their opponents’ quality.
Matz Sels, Nottingham Forest’s goalkeeper, made a critical save against Niclas Fuellkrug’s powerful header deep into added time, ensuring his team’s narrow victory.
Leave a Reply