Nottingham Forest’s fairytale season continues as Nuno’s men secure a spot in the semi-finals of the FA Cup after 34 years

Nottingham Forest beat Brighton on penalties to progress into the semi-finals of the FA Cup. (Image credits - FMT, License Details)

Nottingham Forest’s fairytale season continues to get even better, following their nervy win against Brighton on Saturday, which earned them a spot in the semi-finals of the FA Cup for the first time in 34 years.

Since 1991, Forest had failed to progress to the final 4 of the prestigious domestic cup, having won the competition twice, in 1898 and 1959.

However, the new-age Nottingham Forest team, led by the Portuguese mastermind Nuno Espírito Santo, has been able to overcome almost every obstacle in their way and is heading to one of their best ever finishes to a season.

On top of their FA Cup glory, Forest have been performing exceptionally in the Premier League as well, as they sit third in the points table, being 5 points ahead of giants like Chelsea and 6 points ahead of reigning champions Manchester City.

Nottingham Forest’s exhausting win against Brighton in the quarter-finals

In the quarter-finals, Nuno’s men faced a resilient Brighton team in a game where they failed to find the back of the net even once, despite an enthralling 120+ additional minutes at the Amex Stadium.

From the very first minute, both teams exhibited energy and intensity, with the stars on display, such as Mitoma, Baleba, Awoniyi, and Elanga, pushing hard to create goal-scoring opportunities for their respective teams.

However, the defensive resilience from both parties forced the tie to be decided via the dreaded penalty shoot-out.

As the spot kicks were taken, the fans grew weary as both teams saw their early penalties being missed, with the likes of Hinselwood and Neco Williams failing to convert from the six-yard box, adding more pressure on their respective keepers.

However, the Forest No. 1, Mat Selz, stepped up when he was needed the most, making two astonishing saves in the shootout to secure a sensational victory for his side and a spot in the semi-finals for the first time in 34 years.

Can Forest go all the way?

As it stands, the new-age Nottingham Forest team has been transformed into an incredibly well-drilled team by Nuno Espirito, also making them well and truly capable of coping with every sort of situation, especially what we have witnessed this season.

On top of that, the Portuguese manager’s tactical play has been spot on, which has earned his side massive wins even against some of the biggest teams in the league in the current campaign.

Along with their brilliant form, Forest’s chances of lifting the FA Cup this season are looking strong with the elimination of some of the pre-assumed favourites to win this competition, such as Liverpool, Arsenal, Chelsea, and even the defending champions, Manchester United.

However, Nottingham Forest will come face-to-face with the biggest possible hindrance between them and glory, as they will face Pep Guardiola’s recovering Manchester City, who have suddenly become the top favourites to lift the prestigious cup following the exit of their biggest competitors from the competition.