Nottingham Forest 1-1 Wolves (4-3 on penalties): Dean Henderson penalty hero as Forest reach the Carabao Cup semi-finals | football news
Dean Henderson was the hero as Nottingham Forest progressed to the semi-finals of the Carabao Cup after winning 4-3 on penalties against Wolves.
Manchester United loanee first saved Ruben Neves’ penalty, before making another powerful save to deflect Joe Hodge’s penalty and send Steve Cooper’s Reds through to the quarter-finals, where they will face Manchester United.
Please use the Chrome browser for an easily accessible video player
After Nottingham Forest’s Carabao Cup quarter-final victory over Wolverhampton, both teams became involved in a brawl that broke out on City’s grounds.
Raul Jimenez had smashed the visitors’ save with a simple strike in regular time (64) past former Wolves defender Willy Boly – who spent five seasons at Molineux – in a corner from close range (18), but they were unable to find the equalizer they had threatened in many times.
The victory sees Forest reach the semi-finals for the first time since United finished runners-up in 1991/92.
How Reds Steve Cupper booked his place in the semi-finals
The fact of making it to the semi-finals of this competition was so foreign to both teams that neither of them seemed interested in cool weapons from the start. Wolves last qualified from the quarter-finals when they won it in 1979/80 and it was the same for Forest, who reached the final in 1992.
The visitors were allowed to control the ball for long periods, and Forest were safe in the knowledge that their opponents, for the most part, could not use their control to threaten.
Willy Boly gave Nottingham Forest the lead against former club Wolverhampton
But that meant Forest was prone to quick, decisive counter-attacks – and when one of them made a corner kick, he deserved to take the lead. Serge Aurier moved the swing delivery at near position, Johnny inadvertently helped him to the bar and Bouley was on hand to apply the finishing touch. Unexpectedly, no celebration followed.
However, the Wolves advanced in the game, and might have been equal at the break were it not for Henderson, who first blocked Jimenez’s curling shot, before it was blocked by a one-handed He Chan Hwang.
Coach Julen Lopetegui’s side picked up where they left off after the restart and came close again when a misdirected header from Nevis Brennan Johnson rebounded to force Jose Sa to dive a full stretch to his left to save the ball.
Raul Jimenez equalized for Wolverhampton in the second half
They finally got their reward with 64 minutes of action. Matheus Nunes and Matheus Kona combined well, with the latter putting the ball on the board for Jimenez’s long-awaited equalizer and third in three appearances in the competition this season.
He almost fell behind within minutes, when time seemed to stand still as Jack Kolpak’s cross deflected a shot off Nelson Semedo’s knee and back off the post before the ball was hastily cleared.
As Wolves pressed for victory, Forest held their ground and eventually forced a penalty shootout, which began in dramatic fashion, with Jose Sa and Henderson both denying Sam Surridge and Neves respectively.
Each of the next seven scored, leaving 20-year-old Joe Hodge under pressure to hold Wolves to a draw and force them to sudden death. But that wasn’t the case, when Henderson, who had been impressive all night, saved to send Forrest off.
Man of the match – Dean Henderson
Cooper: Henderson being ineligible to face Manchester United put a damper on the night
Speaking after the match, Nottingham Forest’s Steve Cooper hailed his side’s progress as a step in the right direction, but was quickly hit back to earth when goalkeeper Dean Henderson was reminded he would be ineligible to face parent club Manchester United in the semi-finals.
“It’s great to get to the semi-finals for the first time in 31 years, so I’m really happy that the guys made it this far and gave themselves a chance to play against Manchester United,” he said.
“I’m really happy for our fans – it gives our older generation a chance to remember and it gives our younger generation a chance to enter new territory and that will always be important to me.
“It’s just another positive message of the progress the club is trying to make. We know we have a long way to go and once we leave here all focus is on the Premier League, but the goal was we went through and we did. I didn’t like us, if I’m honest. I didn’t like our performance.” But I shouldn’t be so negative on a night like tonight.
“You know what, I just thought of that [Henderson being ineligible]. Dean was excellent in the penalty shootout, but he was just as good in the match. it’s a pity.
“He’s invested a lot in the group, how we work, what we’re trying to speed up in terms of who we want to become. To do that, you need a really good goalkeeper. That puts a bit of a strain on me, to be honest.”
Lopetegui: We should have taken a penalty – maybe I don’t know the rules of football
Wolves coach Julen Lopetegui has expressed frustration with the fact that his team did not get a late penalty at City Ground.
Matheus Nunes was pressured by Emmanuel Dennis in the Nottingham Forest penalty area, his boot hitting his foot as a result of the apparent friction.
He said: The reaction was negative because we want to continue in this competition. I think we fought a lot to get here and then it was a very tough game for both teams.
“We started conceding one goal after a corner kick and then, we had two big chances and it was clear in the first half that we didn’t score. In the second half, we scored one goal and we had more chances. In the end, it was a pity that the penalty shoot-out was awarded, that’s it.” The way we lost the game and we have to accept it
“But I don’t want to forget one key action against us, which was a very clear penalty kick by Matheus Nunes. Maybe I don’t understand anything about the rules of football; maybe I should review all the rules of football.
“I don’t need to hear anything about this [from the referee]. The rules are no different in England than they are in Spain, France and Germany – they are the same.
Other Carabao Cup quarter-final results
Manchester United 3-0 Charlton
Southampton 2-0 Manchester City
What’s Next?
Nottingham Forest Back to Premier League matches at 3pm on Saturday when they compete lester in the city land. Then he travels alongside Steve Cooper to Bournemouth At the same time on January 21st.
next to Wolves It is a home game against West Ham in the Premier League at 3pm on the Saturday before they receive Liverpool to Molineux at 7.45pm next Tuesday for the FA Cup third round replay.